A mother and her three sons have been abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers while harvesting cassava on their farmland in Ugbene Ajima, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at Nwiyi Ivuruge, along the road leading to Umualogo Village in Nkpologu community, which shares a boundary with Ugbene Ajima.
The victims were identified as Mrs Bridget Okey and her three sons, Chukwubuike, Chukwuemeka, and Chijioke. One of the abducted children, Chukwubuike, is reportedly 14 years old.
Sources said the family was working on their farmland when the armed men stormed the area, seized the four victims, and took them to an unknown destination.
The abduction has sparked fresh concerns over the deteriorating security situation in rural communities, particularly the growing vulnerability of farmers who risk attacks while carrying out their agricultural activities.
A community leader, Sam Otti, popularly known by his chieftaincy title, Ikeoha Ugbene, has appealed to the state government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.
Otti said the incident had been reported to local vigilantes, forest guards, and the police, urging the Enugu State Government, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Council, and other relevant security authorities to mobilise resources towards securing the family’s immediate release.
He described the abduction of the children as barbaric and called for urgent intervention to prevent the victims from suffering further trauma in captivity.
“We appeal to the Enugu State Government, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Council, the Nigeria Police Force, and other relevant security agencies to urgently deploy every necessary resource towards securing the immediate and safe release of Mrs Bridget Okey and her three sons.
“The family must not be abandoned to its fate. Every possible effort must be made to ensure that the victims return home alive and unharmed,” he said.
The community leader also expressed concern that criminal activities were increasingly spreading into rural settlements, where residents and farmers were becoming vulnerable to attacks in places traditionally considered safe.
According to him, farmlands should not become hunting grounds for kidnappers, while children should be able to accompany their parents to farms without fear of being abducted.
Otti urged security agencies to act swiftly, stressing that the safe rescue of the mother and her three sons should remain the overriding priority.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, Barrister Chijioke Ezugwu, reportedly visited the scene of the incident on Saturday and assured residents that efforts were being made to secure the victims’ release.
Efforts to reach the Enugu State Police Command’s spokesperson for comments on the abduction were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
