Gunmen abduct Police officer, four others in Edo, demand N100m ransom

Five persons, including a police officer, were reportedly kidnapped in two separate attacks by suspected gunmen in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State on February 8.

The National Coordinator of the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Bode Ekundayo, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday.

Ekundayo explained that the first incident happened at the Makeke Community Health Centre. According to him, the gunmen stormed the facility and abducted Tope Oriloye, a female secondary school student.

He also said Samuel Ilesanmi was taken away after he rushed his sick son to the health centre alongside his wife.

Ekundayo also said a gang of kidnappers invaded the residence of Police Inspector Segun Obanowa from Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo and abducted him, his wife and daughter, later releasing his wife to go arrange for ransom to free her husband and daughter.

He stated that the kidnappers who abducted Oriloye and Ilesanmi had already contacted the family asking for a N100 million ransom for both of them.

He said, “Daring kidnappers struck again in Akoko Edo, this time at Makeke village, less than a kilometre away from Ososo in the eastern part of Akoko Edo, taking away a secondary school female student, Tope Oriloye and Samuel Ilesanmi on February 8 at the community health centre.

“In a similar operation in Auchi, kidnappers invaded the residence of Police Inspector Segun Obanowa from Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo and kidnapped him, his wife and daughter, later releasing his wife to go look for ransom to free her husband and daughter.”

Ekundayo noted that as soon as the news of the kidnapping hit the community, Makeke hunters and vigilantes mobilised and entered the wilderness, combing far and near till the early hours of the following day, all their efforts to no avail.

He added, “However, the kidnappkiers called in the evening on February 9 to ask for N100 million for Tope Oriloye and Samuel Ilesanmi to be released.

“This trend of demanding N100 million to commence ransom negotiation is becoming a familiar thing, having manifested its irritating trend in previous kidnap ransom negotiations.”

He stated that the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People is again calling on the Edo State government and the Akoko Edo Local Government to “strike while the iron is still hot.”

“We have written, warned, and passed timely information to all security agencies and the tiers of government in Edo State earlier. Or is it not yet obvious that the worsening scourge will snowball into intractable catastrophes in future? Akoko Edo is surrounded.

“Is it not clear that gunmen from Benue and Kwara States are fast descending on Edo State, their open gateway being the vast wilderness of Akoko Edo? ,” he said.

The Edo State Police Command PPRO, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the kidnapping incident in Makeke, noting that suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime.

Ikoedem noted that an investigation is underway to arrest other suspects, adding that efforts were made to rescue the victims.

She said, “I can confirm to you that a kidnapping case occurred at Makeke Village in Akoko Ado Local Government in Edo North. Some suspects are in police custody and efforts to rescue the victims are ongoing.

Very Nigerian reported that seven indigenes of Imoga were kidnapped on January 9 while lodging at Stay Boy Hotel on Imoga-Ibillo.

The owner of the hotel, also an indigene of Imoga, was also abducted along with the guests.

However, on January 11, the gunmen demanded N100 million for the release of the victims. After negotiation, the ransom was reduced to N70 million and later to N40 million.

On January 16, the kidnappers threatened to start killing the abductees if the ransom was not paid.

However, they were released after an undisclosed amount was paid as ransom.

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