Edo: Policeman, 4 others abducted by kidnappers

A police officer and four others have been abducted by suspected kidnappers in the Edo LGA of Edo State. A 9 pm to 6 am curfew has been imposed by the traditional ruler over the incessant kidnapping incidents.

Per reports, two of those taken were kidnapped at the Makeke Primary Health Centre, where the gunmen reportedly kidnapped Tope Oriloye, a female secondary school student and Samuel Ilesanmi, who had rushed his son to the health centre with his wife on February 8.

The other abduction took place at the home of Segun Obanowa, a police inspector in Auchi from Uma/Imoga, where he was kidnapped alongside his wife and daughter.

Obanowa’s wife was later released so she could arrange for a ransom to free her husband and daughter.

Speaking on the development in Benin on Wednesday, National Coordinator, Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Bode Ekundayo, disclosed that the family of Oriloye and Ilesanmi had already been contacted by the kidnappers.

Ekundayo said the abductors were asking for N100 million ransom for both of them.

“Daring kidnappers struck again in Akoko Edo, this time at Makeke village, less than a kilometre 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 revealed that hunters and vigilantes in Makeke mobilised and entered the bushes, combing far and near till the early hours of the following day without a positive result.

“However, the kidnappers 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.”

Ekundayo appealed to the Edo State government and the Akoko Edo council authority to take action and save the local government from the siege of kidnappers.

The police in the state have also confirmed the kidnapping.