Photo: Governor Monday Okpebholo
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have demanded up to 100 million naira for the release of eight people abducted from a hotel in Edo State, a traditional ruler said on Monday, underscoring Nigeria’s persistent insecurity in rural communities.
The Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, Oba Patrick Obajoye, confirmed the development to newsmen in a telephone chat.
Speaking via telephone, the monarch said the victims, who were all indigenes of Imoga, were seized late on Friday night at Star Boy Hotel along the Imoga–Ibillo road in Edo North.
He said the group had travelled to nearby Ibillo for a social function and decided to lodge overnight at the hotel, which is owned by an indigene of the community.
According to the monarch, the attackers arrived at the hotel wearing what appeared to be army uniforms and brought drinks, pretending to be guests waiting for someone.
After spending some time at the premises, they allegedly confronted the hotel owner, seized his two mobile phones as well as those of the other guests, tied their hands and marched them into the surrounding bush on foot.
“The kidnappers initially demanded 100 million naira, but they have now reduced it to 70 million,” Obajoye said. “When we appealed for a further reduction, they said one of the vehicles belonging to the hotel owner should be sold to pay the ransom.”
He said eight people, including one woman, remain in captivity. The manner in which the abductors spoke during ransom negotiations suggested the operation may have involved insider information, he added.
“It is a very sad day for our community,” the traditional ruler said. “Raising this kind of money is a big challenge. These are young men and a woman with their whole lives ahead of them, abducted at a place they went to rest after a function.”
Obajoye praised the Edo State Police Command and the state government for their response, saying security personnel had deployed modern tracking equipment in an attempt to locate the kidnappers, but without success so far. He expressed hope that rescue efforts would continue so the victims could be reunited with their families.
Police authorities did not immediately comment. The spokesman for the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, asked for time to respond when contacted.
One person was shot while trying to escape during the incident and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital, according to information gathered by local media.
Kidnapping for ransom has become increasingly common across parts of Nigeria, particularly along highways and in rural areas, despite repeated assurances by authorities that security operations are being intensified. In Edo State, communities in the northern axis have experienced a series of abductions in recent months.
In November, two brothers abducted along the Adughe–Imoga road regained their freedom after their captors reportedly fell asleep in the forest. The brothers, identified as Isaac and Victor Olayere, were seized earlier that month, sparking fear in the Uma–Imoga community after the kidnappers demanded 22 million naira. They later contacted their father to say they had escaped, a development that was also confirmed by Obajoye.
Residents say such incidents continue to strain local economies and heighten anxiety, as families and communities struggle to raise ransoms while relying on overstretched security agencies for protection.
