Residents of Ondo State on Wednesday staged a protest and blocked the Akure Owo Expressway for several hours following the abduction of five worshippers during a vigil at a Celestial Church of Christ in Uso community, Owo Local Government Area.

The gunmen reportedly attacked the church, located along the Akure Owo Expressway, at about 12:50 am on Tuesday. The assailants stormed the premises during the vigil and abducted six worshippers, taking them into a nearby forest.

One of the victims later escaped from captivity, leaving five others still in the custody of the kidnappers.

The incident triggered outrage among residents of Uso, who took to the streets in protest to draw the attention of the government and security agencies to what they described as worsening insecurity in the area.

The demonstrators blocked the busy highway, chanting solidarity songs and demanding immediate action to secure the release of the abducted worshippers and strengthen security in the community.

A protester who identified himself as Deoye said the demonstration was necessary to highlight the deteriorating security situation in the state.

He said, “We are here to tell the government that insecurity in Ondo State is increasing. Imagine innocent people worshipping in a church being kidnapped in the middle of the night. This is unacceptable. The government must be more proactive in protecting lives and property.”

Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Command said it had launched a coordinated operation to rescue the remaining victims.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, stated that armed men invaded the church premises at about 12:50 am and abducted the worshippers to an unknown destination.

“Upon receiving the report, operatives of the command, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and local vigilante groups, immediately mobilised to the scene and commenced a coordinated rescue operation,” Jimoh said.

He disclosed that one of the abducted worshippers had been rescued, while a suspected informant connected to the incident had been arrested and was assisting the police with ongoing investigations.

The police spokesperson added that security operations were still ongoing to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and the apprehension of all those responsible for the attack.

As of the time of filing this report, tension remained high in the community, with residents urging the state government to deploy more security personnel to prevent further attacks.