Gunmen Kidnap Police Officer, Wife, Daughter, Two Others In Edo

By Ayodele Oni

Two separate abductions in Edo have left a policeman, wife and daughter, as well as two others as victims.

Report revealed that gunmen suspected to be kidnappers reportedly abducted five persons, including a police officer, in Edo north senatorial district of the State. The victims were were abducted in two separate operations on February 8, 2026.

In the first incident, the Police Inspector, Segun Obanowa, an indigene of Uma/Imoga community, in Akoko Edo local government area of the state, was abducted with his wife and daughter at his home in Auchi, headquarter of Etsako West.

They, however, released his wife to go and arrange for ransom to free her husband and daughter.

In the second incident, the gunmen invaded the community health center at Makeke, where they abducted two victims, Miss Tope Oriloye, a female secondary school student and one Samuel Ilesanmi, who reportedly rushed his son to the health centre.

The National Coordinator or Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Bode Ekundayo, in a statement on Wednesday, confirmed that the kidnappers of Oriloye and Ilesanmi had already contacted their families, demanding for ₦100 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 wilderness, combing far and near till the early hours of the following day, all their efforts to no avail.

When contacted, the Spokesperson of Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the kidnap at Makeke.

“We recorded a kidnapping at Akoko-Edo, where a staff of a health center was kidnapped.

“We have arrested some suspects, we are still investigating and everything is being done within our possible best to secure the secure the safe return of the victims and arrest perpetrators of the crime,” she said.

As at time of filling this report, Ikoedem was yet to respond to inquiry on the alleged abduction of the police inspector and his wife and daughter.

It would be recalled that seven indigenes of Imoga, who lodged at an Hotel on Imoga-Ibillo, were kidnapped on January 9, 2026. The owner of the hotel, also an indigene of Imoga, was also abducted along with the guests.