Two brothers who were kidnapped along the Adughe-Imoga Road and taken into the bush by kidnappers on November 8 have regained their freedom.
The brothers, identified as Isaac and Victor Olayere, were taken into the bush as soon as they were kidnapped in Uma/Imoga, into confusion as the kidnappers demanded N22m ransom.
While the community was still at a loss over how to raise the ransom, the brother called their father with an unknown number, telling him they had escaped from the kidnappers’ den.
The Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, Oba Patrick Obajoye, revealed this to Punch on Monday during a telephone interview.
He called on the authorities to come to the rescue of Imoga, a town he said shares a border with Ondo and Kogi, thereby making it prone to kidnapping activities.
He said, “The two brothers were kidnapped on November 8 along the Adughe-Imoga Road and were taken into the bush.
“Later, the kidnappers reached out to the family and demanded a ransom of N22m, throwing the ancient community of Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo Local Government Area, Edo State, into confusion.
“I swiftly reported the incident to the Ibillo Police Station with the hope that the rescue effort would lead to the release of the brothers.”
According to him, “It was said that somehow, the kidnappers suddenly went into a deep slumber in the forest, enabling their victims to escape. They were found by the vigilante of Adughe, a neighbouring community in Kogi that speaks the same Okpameri language as Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo.
“The vigilantes called Imoga people, and the youth mobilised and entered the forest, but they could not see the kidnappers who had woken up after their captives had escaped and fled.”
The Oba noted that the activities of kidnappers and armed herders had become a major problem in the community, urging the authorities to create a police post in the area.
He added, “We need police presence in Imoga. If a police post is created here, the officers will patrol the community, which will give the residents rest of mind.
“Imoga is the largest village in Akoko Edo, particularly in terms of land mass, into which many herders have entered en masse. It is the link between Edo State and the northern part of the country.”
It was recalled that since Governor Monday Okpebholo was sworn in on November 12, 2024, he has hit the ground running by rehabilitating major roads, reclaiming government properties, prioritising education, and ensuring that women are well represented in his cabinet.
Meanwhile, the governor’s attempt to curb kidnapping has been challenging, with several kidnapping cases still being recorded in the state every week. He has bought security vehicles, motorcycles, and other equipment for all the security agencies in the state, but the problem still persists.
However, the issue came to a head on March 28, 2025, when a mob resorted to self-help and killed seven travellers in Uromi, Edo Central, over their suspected involvement in kidnapping.
Guns were found in the truck taking them to the northern part of the country, which triggered the lynching of about 16 of them, with seven dying in the process.
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