Seven indigenes abducted in Edo State earlier this month were finally released from 11 days in captivity, after their families and community leaders secured their freedom through the payment of a ransom.
The victims, who were taken hostage on January 9, 2026, were lodging at the Stay Boy Hotel along the Imoga-Ibillo Road when gunmen stormed the premises and abducted them, along with the hotel’s owner, also an indigene of Imoga.
According to Dr. Bode Ekundayo, Coordinator of the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, the ordeal ended only after a substantial ransom was paid to the kidnappers.
“Victims have now been released after the payment of a huge ransom,” Ekundayo said in a message to The PUNCH on Tuesday.
When pressed for details on the amount paid, Ekundayo declined to disclose figures, saying he was not in a position to give the information at this time.
In addition to the seven released captives, an eighth person who managed to escape from the kidnappers is currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital, Ekundayo revealed.
“I can tell you that they have been reunited with their family after the community secured their release,” he said, describing the experience as “a sad experience” and expressing hope that the victims “will overcome the effect.”
The Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People also insisted that the Edo State Police Command has been informed about the release of the victims, underscoring collaborative efforts between local leaders and security forces.
The joy of freedom was palpable throughout Imoga on Tuesday. Oba Patrick Abudu, the Royal Father of Imoga, described the scenes that greeted the released captives:
“It is like we are having a special festival in the community,” he told The PUNCH, recounting a large procession that went to receive the returnees at the border between the community and nearby Okene.
Oba Abudu said the entire town turned out to celebrate the safe homecoming of the victims, many of whom had been held deep in the bush by their abductors.
“Everyone came out to rejoice, and I also met with them. A large entourage went to receive them, and I have never seen such in the community,” the monarch stated.
He highlighted the unity among Imoga residents in securing the release, saying, “With unity, everything is achievable.”
The release of the abducted residents was also confirmed by ASP Eno Ikoedem, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, who said, “Yes, I can confirm that the kidnapped victims have been released.”
Kidnapping for ransom remains a serious security challenge in parts of Edo State and across Nigeria, with multiple incidents recorded in recent years. In many cases, victims have been freed only after negotiations and payments of large sums, as seen in this episode, highlighting ongoing concerns about safety and the efforts required to secure hostages’ return.
As the freed victims reunited with their families, community members called on both state and federal authorities to intensify security operations along major corridors and within rural areas to curb the kidnapping menace.
