Gunmen kill man, abduct his two children in Edo

From Tony Osauzo, Benin

A man identified as Ilabeshi Okhale has been reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at Kalabar Quarters in Afokpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The assailants were also said to have abducted the victim’s twin children into the bush after they forcibly broke into his residence and inflicted machete injuries on him.

The gunmen reportedly switched off the victim’s generator after gaining access to his premises and attacked him when he came out to investigate why the generator had stopped, leaving him with injuries.

They were said to have abducted his twin children, Emmanuel and Emmanuella, both aged 16, into the bush and later demanded a N100 million ransom.

Confirming the incident, spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, said the abducted twins have been rescued unhurt.

She said the police stormed the scene on receipt of the information and rushed the deceased to Ajie Hospital, where he was confirmed dead, and later deposited his corpse at Santa Maria Morgue, Jattu, for autopsy.

Ikoedem disclosed that a combined team of police, Army, ESSC, hunters, and vigilante carried out extensive bush combing and rescued the two children unhurt and reunited them with their family, adding that investigations were ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.