Reporter: Kunle Babafemi
Residents of Papa Alajiki area in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, are grappling with fear and uncertainty after heavily armed men stormed a residential compound in what appears to be part of a widening multi-state pursuit.
The attackers invaded a home located at 4 Jekayinfa Street, repeatedly demanding to know the whereabouts of a local political figure, Edward Oluwaniyi, a ward secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Failing to find him, the gunmen reportedly assaulted his father, Evangelist Solomon Oluwaniyi, leaving the elderly man hospitalised.
Two tenants in the compound were also declared missing as of the time of filing this report.
The brazen nature of the attack has unsettled the neighbourhood, especially as it comes amid growing insecurity in parts of neighbouring Kwara communities, where bandit-related killings and kidnappings have been reported in recent times.
For many residents, the latest incident suggests that criminal networks may be operating across state boundaries with increasing boldness.
This is not the first time the individual at the centre of the search has been targeted. In October 2025, armed men reportedly invaded a former residence linked to him in Bariga, Lagos, combing through houses in a similar manhunt.
That development had already raised questions about coordinated tracking and the vulnerability of politically exposed individuals.
Even more troubling is the memory of a violent ambush in September 2021 in Bariga, where he narrowly survived after being struck by a vehicle and brutally assaulted.
Though he recovered, the threats allegedly issued at the time appear to have cast a long shadow.
Community observers say the pattern of attacks underscores a disturbing trend: political engagement at the grassroots level increasingly carries personal risks.
Across Nigeria, ward leaders, party organisers, and community mobilisers have faced intimidation, abduction, and in some cases, fatal violence.
With one victim hospitalised and two residents still unaccounted for, the latest Ogbomoso incident has amplified calls for urgent security intervention.
Residents are demanding stronger protection mechanisms, improved intelligence gathering, and decisive action to prevent further escalation.
What is unfolding is no longer viewed as an isolated incident, but as part of a broader security challenge that threatens not just individuals, but entire communities caught in the crossfire.
