RismadarVoice Reporters
September 27, 2026
A newlywed couple have been abducted alongside other travellers by suspected kidnappers along the Eruku-Iyemero axis bordering Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states.
The couple, identified as Funmilayo Bamidele and Reverend Abiodun David, were reportedly returning from their traditional engagement ceremony in Eruku when their vehicle was intercepted on Saturday evening.
Initial reports said the couple were travelling with four other people when the incident occurred along the Iyemero-Eruku route.
However, the exact number of people abducted remained unclear on Sunday, with conflicting accounts emerging from local sources and security authorities.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo confirmed the incident and said joint security operations had commenced to locate the victims and apprehend those responsible.
Ojo said soldiers had been deployed to search the surrounding areas as part of the rescue operation.
The vehicle conveying the victims was later recovered around Ayetoro in Ekiti State, according to the police commissioner.
Security personnel from Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states are coordinating operations because of the location of the incident around the border communities.
Reports said the vehicle had initially been expected to travel through the Isanlu route, but the driver reportedly took another road through Iyamoye in Kogi State to drop off the best man and other members of the wedding entourage.
The travellers were subsequently intercepted along the route.
Photographs of the newlywed couple circulated on social media following reports of their abduction.
While initial accounts indicated that six people were abducted, Ojo was separately quoted as saying preliminary information available to police indicated that three people had been taken.
“The exact location of the incident is not clear yet,” the commissioner said, adding that joint security personnel were searching the area.
Authorities had yet to publicly reconcile the conflicting figures as of Sunday afternoon.
The Eruku-Iyemero corridor and surrounding border communities have faced security concerns linked to kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Earlier this year, security agencies conducted operations across forests in northern Ekiti State, including areas extending towards Iyemero and Eruku, as part of efforts to prevent criminal groups from establishing bases in the border region.
Security agencies said operations were continuing to rescue the latest victims safely and identify those responsible for the abduction.
