Police Officer, Family Members and Student Abducted by Kidnappers; N100m Ransom Demanded

Armed individuals suspected to be kidnappers have abducted five individuals, including a police officer and his family members, during two separate incidents in Akoko Edo, located in Edo North, Edo State.

This alarming situation was reported by Bode Ekundayo, the National Coordinator of the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, in a statement released to the media on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The first wave of abductions occurred at the Makeke community health centre, where Tope Oriloye, a female secondary school student, and Samuel Ilesanmi, who had brought his son to the centre, were kidnapped by the assailants.

Ekundayo further detailed that another group of kidnappers invaded the home of Police Inspector Segun Obanowa from Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo, seizing him, his wife, and daughter. His wife was later freed to procure ransom funds for the return of her husband and child.

According to Ekundayo's statement, the gang responsible for the kidnappings of Oriloye and Ilesanmi has reached out to their families, demanding a ransom of N100 million for their release.

The statement noted that the kidnappers struck at Makeke village, situated less than a kilometer from Ososo in the eastern region of Akoko Edo, taking Tope Oriloye and Samuel Ilesanmi on February 8 while they were at the community health facility.

In a parallel operation in Auchi, the same gang attacked Inspector Obanowa’s residence, leading to his abduction alongside his family.

Upon hearing of the kidnappings, local hunters and vigilantes from Makeke acted quickly, scouring the area in search of the victims through the early hours of the next day, though their efforts yielded no results.

On the evening of February 9, the kidnappers contacted the families, reiterating their demand of N100 million for the release of the abducted individuals.

“There seems to be a pattern emerging where kidnappers are increasingly demanding N100 million to begin ransom negotiations, which has become a repeated trend in these types of situations,” Ekundayo stated.

The Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People is urging both the Edo State government and the local authorities to take decisive action while the situation is still manageable.

“We have previously alerted all relevant security agencies and government levels in Edo State regarding this issue. Is it not evident that this escalating situation could lead to more severe consequences in the future? Akoko Edo is vulnerable,” he noted.

Ekundayo also remarked, “Is it not apparent that gunmen from Benue and Kwara States are increasingly infiltrating Edo State, using the expansive wilderness of Akoko Edo as their entry point?”

Confirming the incidents, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, reported that arrests have been made in connection with the abduction cases.

“I can confirm that a kidnapping incident took place in Makeke Village within Akoko Edo Local Government in Edo North. Several suspects are now in police custody, and efforts to rescue the victims are currently underway,” the Public Relations Officer stated.