Residents of Ondo State staged a peaceful demonstration in Akure on Tuesday to demand urgent action over the abduction of nine surveyors at Ilu-Abo in Akure South LGA.

It was gathered that the victims were working at a site when they were kidnapped by armed men last week.

During the protest, women carrying placards blocked the busy Oba Adesida Road, disrupting traffic as they called on security agencies to secure the release of the abducted workers.

One of the protesters, Comfort Afolabi, whose brother is among those kidnapped, said the abductors initially demanded N50 million but later raised the ransom to N100 million.

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“We have pleaded with them, but they insist they won’t release our loved ones unless we pay the full amount. We are helpless and need government intervention,” she said.

Reacting to the protest, Mr Bola Taiwo, the Special Adviser on Labour Union and Special Duties to the governor, assured the residents that the government is addressing the situation and is committed to resolving the security challenges in the state.

The latest abduction adds to the growing wave of kidnapping in Ondo State.

In a separate incident, 14 farmers were killed in Akure North LGA, and last week, a farmer and his manager were kidnapped while returning from their farm in Osi, Oba-Ile area.