BREAKING: GUNMEN ABDUCT POLICE INSPECTOR, FOUR OTHERS IN EDO

GUNMEN ABDUCT POLICE INSPECTOR, FOUR OTHERS IN EDO, DEMAND N100M RANSOM

Five persons, including a serving police inspector, have been abducted by gunmen in separate attacks in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, with kidnappers reportedly demanding N100 million for the release of two of the victims.

The incidents occurred on February 8 in parts of Edo North Senatorial District. According to information made available to journalists by the National Coordinator of the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Bode Ekundayo, armed men stormed the Makeke Community Health Centre and abducted a female secondary school student, Tope Oriloye, and a man identified as Samuel Ilesanmi, who had reportedly accompanied his wife and child to the facility at the time of the attack.

Ekundayo disclosed that the abductors later contacted the families of the two victims and demanded N100 million ransom for their release, noting that similar ransom figures have been requested in previous kidnapping cases within the area.

In a separate incident in Auchi, gunmen reportedly invaded the residence of Police Inspector Segun Obanowa, said to be from the Uma/Imoga community in Akoko Edo, and abducted him alongside his wife and daughter. The attackers were said to have released the officer’s wife shortly after, allegedly instructing her to raise ransom for the release of her husband and daughter.

The Edo State Police Command confirmed the Makeke kidnapping. The Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Eno Ikoedem, stated that some suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime, while investigations and rescue efforts are ongoing.

“I can confirm that a kidnapping case occurred at Makeke Village in Akoko Edo Local Government Area. Some suspects are in police custody, and investigations are ongoing. Efforts to rescue the victims are also ongoing,” she said.

The development comes weeks after seven persons were abducted in January at a hotel in the Imoga area of Edo North. In that case, kidnappers reportedly demanded N100 million before negotiations led to a reduced amount, and the victims were eventually released after payment of an undisclosed sum.

Residents of the affected communities have called for intensified security operations across forested and border areas of Akoko Edo to curb the rising incidents of abduction.