RismadarVoice Reporters
February 11, 2026
Five persons, including a police inspector, were reportedly abducted in two separate kidnapping incidents in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State on February 8.
The National Coordinator of the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Mr. Bode Ekundayo, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday.
According to him, the first incident occurred at the Makeke Community Health Centre, less than a kilometre from Ososo in the eastern axis of the local government area. The gunmen reportedly abducted a female secondary school student, Tope Oriloye, and Samuel Ilesanmi, who had accompanied his wife to the facility to seek medical care for their son.
In a separate operation, kidnappers were said to have invaded the residence of Police Inspector Segun Obanowa from Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo and abducted him alongside his wife and daughter. The assailants later released his wife, reportedly to facilitate ransom arrangements for the release of the officer and their daughter.
Ekundayo said the kidnappers who abducted Oriloye and Ilesanmi had contacted their families and demanded N100 million ransom for their release.
“Daring kidnappers struck again in Akoko Edo, this time at Makeke village… taking away a secondary school female student, Tope Oriloye and Samuel Ilesanmi on February 8 at the community health centre,” he said.
He added that local hunters and vigilante members mobilized immediately after the incident and combed the surrounding forests through the night, but their efforts did not yield results.
Ekundayo expressed concern over what he described as a growing trend of kidnappers demanding N100 million as a starting point for ransom negotiations. He called on the Edo State Government and Akoko Edo Local Government to take urgent action to curb the escalating insecurity in the area.
He further alleged that criminal elements from neighbouring states may be exploiting the vast forest areas in Akoko Edo as entry routes into Edo State.
Confirming the incident at Makeke Village, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, CSP Eno Ikoedem, said some suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime.
“I can confirm to you that a kidnapping case occurred at Makeke Village in Akoko Edo Local Government in Edo North. Some suspects are in police custody and efforts to rescue the victims are ongoing,” she stated.
