The Oyo State chapter of the African Action Congress (AAC) has slammed Governor Seyi Makinde over the recent spike in kidnappings in the state.

While calling for improved security in the state, the party called on the state government and security agencies to take immediate action to ensure the release of Ibukunoluwa Otesile and Wale Oriade, who were kidnapped in Ibadan, the state capital, last week.

“We warn that failure to do so will result in mass protest at offices of all security agencies in the state,” the AAC said on Monday in a statement signed by the party’s chairman, Kayode Babayomi.

Mr Babayomi said the party was “saddened by the rise in kidnapping incidents and is more bothered that the names mentioned above may not be the last if nothing is done immediately to nip this menace in the bud.”

Last week, Mr Oriade, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was kidnapped. However, his whereabouts remain unknown a week later.

A few days after Mr Oriade’s abduction, Ms Otesile, the CEO of Hope Haven Clinic and Deluxe Foods & Sweets, was also abducted by unknown gunmen in Ibadan. There has been no information about her whereabouts, nor have any rescue efforts by the police or the government been made known to the public.

Speaking further concerning the incidents, Mr Babayomi said, “It is sad that we live in a country where kidnapping has now become a lucrative criminal enterprise. Both the federal and state governments have failed to ensure the safety of the people. Since the Federal Government announced the withdrawal of over 10,000 police officers from VIPs, in an attempt to combat insecurity, the situation has only grown worse.

“We call on the Oyo State Governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, the Commissioner of Police, the heads of the Civil Defence Corps, and the State Security Service (SSS) to take immediate action to rescue the victims and bring them home safely.”

While threatening to carry out mass protests at various security agencies’ headquarters, the AAC further issued a three-day ultimatum for security agencies to ensure the release of the abducted victims.

“We hereby issue a three-day ultimatum to security agencies in the State to rescue the victims and for the government to step up its security architecture so that every Nigerian residing in Oyo State can be safe. Failure to do so, we shall mobilise the masses to occupy Security Headquarters in the State to drive home these demands,” the statement said.