Kidnappers abduct Police officer, 4 others, demand N100m ransom

A police officer and four other persons have been kidnapped in two separate operations in the Akoko Edo area of Edo North, Edo State.

The incident was said to have occurred on February 8, according to the National Coordinator of the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Bode Ekundayo.

Ekundayo noted that the first incident took place at the Makeke community health centre, where some gunmen abducted Tope Oriloye, a female secondary school student and Samuel Ilesanmi.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ekundayo said Mr Ilesanmi had rushed his sick son to the health facility alongside his wife.

Shortly after that incident, a gang of criminals also invaded the residence of a Police Inspector, Segun Obanowa where they abducted the officer, his wife and daughter.

He said the criminals later released the inspector’s wife with the instruction to arrange for ransom for her husband and her daughter’s release.

While noting that this particular incident took place in the Uma/Imoga area Akoko Edo, Ekundayo said the kidnappers have requested N100 million ransom to be paid to them.

“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 stated.

Expressing worry over the incidents, Ekundayo stated that local security agents, including hunters have combed the forest and nearby villages to no avail.

He also condemned the growing trend of the demand for N100 million ransom by kidnappers operating in the area.

“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.

“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.

Reacting to the claims, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed that suspects involved in the Makeke incident have been arrested.

Ikoedem also stated that the police is currently carrying out investigations with a bid to arrest other suspects involved in the cases.

“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,” Ikoedem said.

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