The Ondo State Police Command has begun an intensive manhunt for the killers of the traditional ruler of Agamo community in Akure North Local Government Area, Oba Kehinde Falodun, who was brutally murdered in his domain.

The monarch was attacked in his palace by gunmen who, according to multiple community sources, arrived the quiet settlement in large numbers and headed straight for his residence. What began as an apparent kidnap attempt quickly turned deadly when the royal father resisted.

Residents said the assailants first tried to whisk the monarch away, but he struggled with them. In the course of the confrontation, the gunmen reportedly opened fire on him at close range. Witnesses claimed the bullets initially failed to penetrate, prompting the attackers to resort to a more brutal method.

The hoodlums allegedly struck the monarch on the head with a heavy object, leaving him fatally injured. He was later found a short distance from his residence with severe wounds and was confirmed dead at the scene.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed the incident and disclosed that detectives had been deployed to track down the perpetrators. He said a distress report from a community leader indicated that several armed men stormed the monarch’s residence, dragged him out and fled, before his body was discovered nearby with gunshot injuries.

Jimoh added that monitoring and surveillance operations had been intensified across Akure North and adjoining communities to forestall further attacks and reassure residents. He vowed that the command would pursue every lead until the killers are apprehended and brought to justice.

The killing has heightened anxiety in the area, which has suffered a series of violent crimes in recent months. In a previous incident, suspected bandits invaded Ayede community in the same local government area and abducted a pregnant woman, who was later freed after a ransom was reportedly paid.

Shortly after that abduction, operatives of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, announced the arrest of a dozen suspected bandits said to be terrorising parts of Akure North. The latest attack on the Agamo monarch has renewed calls from residents and community leaders for stronger security presence and more decisive action against criminal gangs operating in the region.