Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have demanded N100m for the release of eight Imoga indigenes abducted on Friday night.
The Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, Oba Patrick Obajoye, who
disclosed this on Monday in a telephone conversation, said the victims were
kidnapped at Star Boy Hotel on Imoga-Ibillo Road in Edo North.
He stated that the victims had gone to Ibillo for a function
and decided to lodge for the night at the Star Boy hotel, which also belonged
to an indigene of Imoga.
The king stated that the kidnappers came to the hotel in
army uniforms and brought drinks, pretending to be waiting for someone.
He noted that after a while, the kidnappers accosted the
owner of the hotel and seized his two phones. He said they also seized the
phones of the others, tied their hands and led them into the bush on foot.
He said, “As it is now, the kidnappers have reduced the
ransom to N70m. When we begged for further reduction, they said one of the
vehicles belonging to the hotelier should be sold to pay the ransom.
“Eight of them are currently in the kidnappers’ den,
including one woman. The kidnapping looked like an inside job if one considers
the way the gunmen spoke to those negotiating the ransom.
“It is a very sad day for us in our community, and we hope
that this will end well for our indigenes. However, raising this money is a big
task.
“Imagine young men and a woman with a great life ahead of
them being abducted at a hotel where they have gone to lodge after a function.
The monarch commended the personnel of the Edo State Police
Command and the state government for their efforts at rescuing the abductees.
He added, “The Edo State Police Command, in conjunction with
the state government, came to trace the kidnappers with modern gadgets, but it
was unsuccessful.
“We hope that the rescue move will continue so that the
victims can reunite with their families.”
Punch Metro also gathered that one person sustained a
gunshot injury while trying to escape, and he is currently receiving treatment
at an undisclosed hospital.
The PPRO of the state police command, Eno Ikoedem, asked for
time to respond as of the time of filing the report.
The two brothers kidnapped along Adughe–Imoga Road in Edo
State on November 10 regained their freedom after their abductors reportedly
fell asleep in the forest.
The brothers, identified as Isaac and Victor Olayere, were
abducted on November 8, throwing the Uma/Imoga community into confusion after
the kidnappers demanded N22m as ransom.
While efforts were ongoing to raise the ransom, the brothers
reportedly called their father with an unknown number, informing him that they
had escaped from captivity.
0 Comments