FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Unidentified gunmen reportedly seized five persons, including a police officer, his wife, daughter and three others in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.
The gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, abducted the victims in two separate operations, according to police confirmation.
The Police Inspector, Segun Obanowa, an indigene of Uma/Imoga community in Akoko Edo, was reportedly abducted with his wife and daughter at his home in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area.
The wife was reportedly freed to go and search for ransom to secure the release of her husband and daughter.
In the second incident, the gunmen invaded a community health centre at Makeke, where they abducted two victims, Miss Tope Oriloye, a female secondary school student and Samuel Ilesanmi, who reportedly rushed his son to the health centre with his wife.
The National Coordinator, Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Bode Ekundayo, in a statement yesterday, confirmed that the kidnappers of Oriloye and Ilesanmi had already contacted their families, demanding for N100 million ransom for both of them.
He added that as soon as the news of the kidnap hit the community, Makeke hunters and vigilantes mobilised and entered the bush, combing far and near, but all their efforts were in vain.
When contacted, the spokesperson of Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the kidnap at Makeke.
“We recorded kidnapping at Akoko-Edo, where a staff of a health centre was abducted.
“We have arrested some suspects, we are still investigating and everything is being done to secure the safe return of the victims and arrest the perpetrators of the crime,” she stated.
