Five people, including a police inspector, were abducted in separate kidnapping incidents in Akoko Edo area of Edo State, with the kidnappers demanding a ransom of N100 million.
The National Coordinator of the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Bode Ekundayo, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, explaining that the first attack happened at the Makeke community health centre on February 8.
According to him, the gunmen kidnapped a female secondary school student, Tope Oriloye, alongside Samuel Ilesanmi, who had taken his son to the health centre with his wife.
Ekundayo added that in another incident, kidnappers invaded a residence in Auchi and abducted Police Inspector Segun Obanowa, his wife and daughter. He said the wife was later released and instructed to raise ransom money for the release of her husband and child.
He noted that hunters and vigilantes in Makeke mobilised immediately after hearing about the kidnapping and searched through the bush until early the next day, but failed to locate the abductors.
Ekundayo stated that the kidnappers later contacted the victims’ families on February 9, demanding N100 million for the release of Oriloye and Ilesanmi.
He expressed concern that the demand for N100 million as a starting point for ransom negotiations was becoming a disturbing trend in the area.
The group urged the Edo State Government and Akoko Edo Local Government to take urgent action, warning that insecurity in the region could worsen if not addressed quickly.
Ekundayo also claimed that criminals from neighbouring states such as Benue and Kwara were increasingly using the vast forest areas of Akoko Edo as an entry route into Edo State.
Confirming the incident, the Edo State Police Command spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, said a kidnapping case was reported in Makeke village and that some suspects had already been arrested.
She added that investigations were ongoing and efforts were being intensified to rescue the victims.
The report also recalled a similar incident in January when seven Imoga indigenes were kidnapped at a hotel in the Imoga-Ibillo area, with the abductors initially demanding N100 million before eventually reducing the ransom during negotiations.
