Edo Kidnapping Crisis Deepens as Gunmen Abduct Police Officer, Demand N100m Ransom

The wave of kidnapping in Edo State has intensified, with gunmen abducting a police officer and four other residents in separate attacks in Akoko Edo Local Government Area.

The incidents, which occurred within days of each other, highlight growing insecurity in the area despite a recently imposed curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. by local authorities and traditional rulers to curb criminal activities.

In the first attack on February 8, suspected kidnappers stormed the Makeke Primary Health Centre and abducted a female secondary school student, Tope Oriloye, alongside Samuel Ilesanmi, who had reportedly visited the facility with his family. Community hunters and vigilantes launched a search operation but were unable to rescue the victims.

The kidnappers later contacted the families, demanding a staggering N100 million ransom for the release of the two victims. Community leaders described the ransom figure as part of a growing trend in recent abduction cases across the area.

In a separate operation in Auchi, gunmen invaded the residence of Police Inspector Segun Obanowa and abducted him along with his wife and daughter. The assailants reportedly released the officer’s wife to raise funds for the ransom, while the inspector and his daughter remain in captivity.

Local advocacy groups have called on the Edo State Government to strengthen security measures and end what they describe as a siege by kidnappers. The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the incidents and ongoing investigations.