Hon. Ibrahim Kunle Olanrewaju, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on National Assembly Matters, has condemned the abduction of five women in Erinmope Ekiti, calling it a brutal attack that strikes at the soul of the community and demands immediate, decisive action from security agencies.
In a statement released on Monday, the former representative of the constituency described the incident as deeply disturbing, particularly because it involved a nursing mother and a woman in the final stage of pregnancy. He said the invasion of the Okanlawon family home and the forceful removal of their loved ones exposed the growing cruelty of criminal elements and the trauma families now face in their own homes.
Hon. Olanrewaju expressed personal sympathy with Muhammad Saliu Okanlawon and his household, noting that no family should endure the fear and helplessness of watching relatives taken into the bush by armed men. He said the pain of the incident resonated beyond Erinmope and touched the wider Moba Local Government area.
While acknowledging the swift response of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Amotekun Corps, Hon. Olanrewaju warned that speed alone would not be enough. He said intelligence suggested the kidnappers may be hiding in plain sight within surrounding communities, urging security agencies to deepen intelligence gathering and adopt a more coordinated community policing strategy to expose those responsible.
He reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and that of Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, to the protection of lives and property, insisting that security remains the core duty of government and would not be treated lightly.
The presidential aide also called on residents to remain alert and cooperate with authorities by volunteering credible information that could lead to the rescue of the victims, identified as Kehinde, Adijat, Hawawu and two women named Fatima. He appealed to the conscience of the community, stressing that silence only emboldens crime.
Hon. Olanrewaju offered prayers for the safety of those held captive, with particular concern for the expectant and nursing mothers, and pledged that the government would not stand by while citizens become targets of abduction for profit. He said the authorities stood firmly with the people of Erinmope and Moba, determined to secure the release of the women and prevent such incidents from taking root in Ekiti State.
