•Extorted millions of naira from 50 abducted persons in January–May

•Locals join business; kill motorcyclist who recognised masked abductor 

Stories by Emma Amaize, Editor (NDV)

Kidnappers armed with AK-47 rifles and in-voking fear, have turned the ensnared inhabitants of Edo and Delta states in the South-South region into their Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs), cashing out millions of naira daily from the families, relatives, and friends of abducted victims.

 NDV findings showed that kidnappers do not go to the bank ATMs to make withdrawals; they would rather bark orders to the victims and relatives, whom they see as their cash machines, to bring agreed ransom to them in cash. 

The kidnapping industry in Edo and Delta states is not operated only by the dreaded Fulani herdsmen, whose modus operandi is to whisk the victims into the forest and thereafter demand ransom, as many thought.

The kidnappers allegedly took hostage over 50 persons in the two states between January and May. They threatened to kill the victims if their relatives and friends did not pay the huge cash demanded as ransom.

Our source said:”They do not care if you are a farmer or you are unemployed; once they abduct you and make contact on the phone with your relatives, they expect them to bring the money in cash to them, not transfer, within the number of days they give as their deadline; otherwise, they kill the victim or victims.”

Natives establish kidnap gangs

We learned that in Ubulu-Uku, Ogwashi-Uku, Okpanam, and other communities in the state, some “bad boys” among the natives have established abduction gangs to make quick money.

In Ubulu-Uku community, a popular motorcyclist chauffeured and dropped off a priest at a road junction, but two mask-wearing kidnappers flagged him down on his way back a fortnight ago.

He wondered why people wearing masks should stop him, but when one of them commanded him to disembark and follow them into the bush, he recognised the voice as a villager he knew.

He shouted his name in shock, asking if he was part of the gangsters terrorising the community.

He was immediately shot dead by the kidnapper, but word of his passing and what happened spread throughout the neighborhood. After shooting him dead, the kidnapper ran away and hasn’t been seen since.

 Police lied; kidnappers collected ransom to  release our monarch —Inegbeboh, lawmaker

A controversy erupted between the Udo-Eguare community in Igueben Local Government Area, Edo State, after the Edo State Police Command claimed that no ransom was paid to release the Enogie (traditional ruler), Friday Ehizogie, abducted on February 3 with five others.

The kidnappers had contacted some leaders of the community after the abduction and demanded ransom.

The villagers contributed money for the monarch’s release, but after his release, the Police took credit, saying their operatives rescued the monarch without ransom.

But the lawmaker representing Igueben Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Eugene Inegbeboh, countered the Police, saying the community paid ransom for the monarch’s release. He dismissed the claim that the Police rescued the monarch.

Demand N30 million payoff for housewife, 2 children

Armed abductors stormed the Ebedei Ukwole community in Ukwuani LGA, Delta State, and hijacked a housewife (Anwuri Okoye, 38) and two children-Chidinma Enuma (14) and Precious Enuma (12)-on March 14.

They called the family at about 7:30 am on March 15 with Chidinma’s phone, asking for a N30 million ransom to free them.

Obtain N10m payout from  man and  mistress abducted in Edo

Two kidnappers, Uchenna and Ebama, suspected to be members of a seven-man kidnapping gang, abducted a man and a lady in Edo State and squeezed N10 million ransom from the man before discharging them.

Both kidnappers were later caught and paraded by the Police in Benin City in March.

Uchenna’s words: “The last operation we did fetched us N10 million ransom. We abducted a man who drove flashy cars, and he was with a lady. They were both kidnapped.”

Collect N10m ransom to release man, mother-in-law in Edo

Three suspected kidnappers, identified as Adamu Iliyasu (19), and Safiyanu (20), kidnapped Sunday Ajibola and his mother-in-law at Igbira Camp in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area, Edo State, on March 11 and collected N10 million ransom to release them.

Moses Yamu, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, stated that the Police, in collaboration with the vigilantes, on a routine stop and search at Auchi, intercepted two young men on March 16 and arrested Adamu Usman of the Hausa Quarters, while his accomplice escaped.

The Police recovered N10 million believed to be proceeds of kidnapping, five micro SIM cards, one machete, one dagger, and two phones from the suspect.

He said the Police arrested two other suspects during the preliminary investigation, and one of the SIM cards recovered belonged to Ajibola Sunday of the Igbirra Camp in Auchi.

“When Ajibola Sunday was invited to the station, he identified the suspect as part of the eight-man gang that kidnapped him and his mother-in-law on March 11.”

A doctor paid N15 million to free himself and his driver

Between 6 and 7 p.m. on April 7, suspected Fulani kidnappers gathered N15 million in ransom, along with cooked jollof rice, chicken, energy drinks, and other items to free a doctor and his driver who had been kidnapped on the Issele-Uku to Asaba expressway.

On the evening of April 8, food supplies and N15 million were delivered to the armed abductors at Ubulu-Okiti community expressway in Delta State.

The victims were abducted around Issele-Uku yesterday evening, and the attackers gathered the ransom at Ubulu-Okiti this evening, he said. Indicating they didn’t travel very far.

But according to Delta State Police Commissioner, Olufemi Abaniwonda, who spoke to reporters, Police killed the head of the kidnapping gang that kidnapped the doctor and his driver on April 11.

 He claimed that a string of kidnappings in Ogwashi-Uku, Ibusa, Ubuluku, and the surrounding areas were carried out by the gang’s leader, Abubakar Usman, also known as “Shehu,” and other gang members.

 The commissioner claimed that after killing Mr. Godwin Anuka in the Ogwashi-Uku region, the group members were also accountable for the abduction of his wife and daughter.

 He went on to say that Shehu admitted to being behind the kidnapping of Esther Ojoh, a realtor in Ibusa, whose body was discovered on March 25, 2025.

 He said that after receiving reliable intelligence reports, the Police tracked and apprehended the notorious kingpin on April 10.

 The suspect led investigators to the gang’s hideout, a forest along Asaba/Agbor expressway between Okpanam and Issele-Azagba communities, at around 1100 hours on April 11.  The suspect sounded an alarm and ran away to join his waiting gang members during the search.

 “The team and the gang members got into a heated gunfight, and four suspects-including the aforementioned Usman Abubakar-were seriously wounded by gunshots.” They found 90 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and three AK-47 rifles.

 After being taken to the General Hospital in Ogwashi-Uku, he disclosed that all of the wounded suspects were declared dead.

Ubulu-Uku community  pays N10m to unchain two villagers

 The impoverished residents of Ubulu-Uku community in Aniocha South Local Government Area, Delta State, were forced to pay a ransom of N10 million by suspected killer herdsmen/kidnappers to free two villagers who had been kidnapped on April 18 and held captive for about two weeks.

Due to the delay in bringing the payment, the kidnappers who had been terrorising the residents of Ubulu-Uku and the surrounding communities increased their ransom demand from N5 million to N10 million.

 Their list also included 6,000 wraps of white razler, one pack of table water, 50 Black Bullets drinks, Peak Milk (10), Ice (20 grams), Malt (10), Loud (50 cups), and Igbo (Indian hemp).

Three school bags, two crossing bags, 20 sachets of TM (200 mg), Hollandia (4), 10 plates of jollof rice, turkey meat, Nutri C (3 rolls), two rolls of sachet peak milk, six packs of Eva soap, and two rubber sandals (sizes 43 and 41) were all included.

Demand a N50m ransom to free Olowojoba, the Edo LP ward chair

On the way back to Igarra from Auchi on the Auchi-Benin City-Ibillo Road, close to Sasaro, on April 26, a notorious location known for frequent abductions, abductors ambushed and held hostage Okasime Olowojoba, the Ward 1 chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Akoko Edo Local Government Area, Edo State, demanding N50 million.

According to a source, Valentine Okasime Olowojoba is the Labour Party’s Ward 1 Chairman. His kids were returning from vacation, so he travelled to Auchi to pick them up. He was abducted on their way back on Saturday in the Sasaro area, which is  notorious for these kinds of incidents.

Communication was hampered by the network outage in that region on Saturday, which lasted until about noon on Sunday. At first, the kidnappers took everyone into the bush, but they later let go of the kids and the housekeeper, holding him alone. On the road, his car was abandoned.

“His brother confirmed on Monday that the kidnappers are requesting N50 million to free him. Additionally, we learned that more people were abducted on Sunday in the same vicinity.

Olowojoba’s younger brother, Omozame Olowojoba, claimed a month later that the kidnappers had amassed N5.3 million without releasing the politician.

He stated: “Today is eight days since they last called us. They collected ransom  penultimate Tuesday, and they called us on Wednesday to bring N30 million and said that the N5.3 million we gave to them the previous day was for feeding. The following day, which was a Thursday, they called again that we should bring another N5 million, which we don’t have anymore, and from that day till now, they have not called us again. I spoke directly with my brother the day before they asked us to bring N5.3 million.

“We are worried, and everybody is worried. We are appealing to the state government and the security agencies to help us rescue our brother. We are also appealing to his abductors to release him so that he can reunite with his family; he is a young man struggling to take care of his family.”

 N50m from Azubuike family in Ibusa

The hard-hearted kidnappers demanded a N50 million ransom for the release of Mr. Bright Azubike, whom they took hostage on his way to buy fufu (pounded cassava) at Iteogwe, Ibusa community, Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State, on May 9.

Commissioner of Police, Delta State, Olufemi Abaniwonda, who confirmed the incident, said: “The abductors took him to their den in the forest and collected N5 million ransom in addition to food items from his family before they released him on May 13, four days after.”

His words: “In another breakthrough, on May 12, 2025, at about 10:30 am, acting on credible intelligence related to a kidnapping incident at Itego Community, Ibusa, where one man (name withheld) was kidnapped and an undisclosed amount paid as ransom, the Commander of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad swiftly mobilised operatives and stormed Koka Junction in Asaba.”

“One of the suspects, later identified as Lawal Tasiu, 26, a resident of Abuja, was arrested after a hot chase.

“Searching the suspect, the sum of Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N900,000) was recovered from him.

“During interrogation, the suspect stated that he is a member of a syndicate terrorising  Ibusa/Ogwashi-Uku/Issele-Azagbe areas, and the money in his possession was part of his share of the ransom collected.”

Squeeze N4 million ransom from woman in Ughelli

On May 11, a gang of kidnappers abducted a woman from her residence in Ughelli, Delta State, detained her for four days, and collected N4 million ransom before liberating her.

The abductors ran out of luck at about 9.30 am the next day, May 12, when operatives of Dragon Patrol Team on stop-and-search along Kwale/Ozoro express road intercepted a gold-colored Toyota Sienna bus loaded with passengers travelling from Ughelli to Asaba.

Delta State Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda, revealed: “Upon searching the vehicle, the sum of three million one hundred thousand naira (N3, 100,000) was recovered from the four suspects, namely: Abubakar Alwalu, 25; Usman Husseini, 25; Adamu Mohammed, 30; and Anwalu Umaru, 23.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects belong to a gang of five and were allegedly responsible for the kidnapping of a woman at her house in Ughelli, where they held her captive for four days and collected four million naira (N4,000,000) ransom on May 11, 2025.”

Transfer Omoregie’s N70m from his bank account at gunpoint

Two brothers of the same parents, Maxwell (25) and Samuel (21), kidnapped a man, Patrick Omoregie, at Abarka community in Delta State, and transferred N70 million from his bank account at gunpoint this month (May).

 They drove the victim’s GLC 300 Benz to a hotel in Benin City, Edo State, where they planned to sell the vehicle when the Police surrounded them. The Police recovered N30 million.

Despite the manhunt, kidnappers keep attacking

The kidnappers have continued their activities despite the efforts of the police. Supposed kidnappers resumed operations again at Abavo community in Ika South LGA when they abducted a female farmer outpaced by her husband when they attacked them on their farm on May 10. The community’s vigilantes chased the kidnappers, but they ambushed and injured three vigilantes in an operation that has triggered fear in the agricultural community.

 The President-General of Abavo community, Pastor Justin Onyeibe, said: “The husband and the wife were on the farm when they saw the kidnappers. Unfortunately, the woman couldn’t run fast enough. They captured her while the man escaped.”

Oborevwori, Okpebholo, step up actions to tame kidnappers and other bandits 

DELTA… THE BIG HEART OF THE NATION

Governors of Delta and Edo  states, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and Senator Monday Okpebholo, respectively, have adopted self-regulating measures to counteract kidnapping and other crimes in the two neighbouring states, following several complaints by citizens. 

Governor Oborevwori, unwilling to publicly disclose the actions, said in Asaba, the state capital: “There is a lot we are doing security-wise, but we will not showcase them for security reasons. Many people have been arrested for kidnapping and armed robbery, but the new policy of the Police is not to showcase all these things because it hinders investigation.

“So, we are doing our best, and we also support the security agencies to ensure they succeed in financing and other kinds of support.”

Meanwhile, his administration has initiated plans to profile herdsmen and cattle owners within the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Livestock and Inter-Ethnic Relations, Chief Jeffrey Azagba, disclosed this during a meeting with members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Delta State chapter, in Asaba last Wednesday.

He said:”It is worrisome that armed herdsmen are causing havoc in some communities. Profiling them will help identify the bad eggs and ensure peace in our communities.

“Delta State is an agrarian state. We must scale up agricultural production without the fear of insecurity.

“Anyone aiding or abetting criminal activities should either relocate or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.”

Azagba urged the leadership of MACBAN to submit a comprehensive list of their members.

He stressed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori remained committed to rooting out any elements undermining his peace and development agenda.

In February, Okpebholo also signed a new Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law 2025, which prescribed the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, confiscation and demolition of properties, and severe penalties for accomplices.

This new law is a bold move to tighten the noose on kidnappers, their accomplices, and enablers. The law prescribes the death penalty for anyone who is directly involved in the act of kidnapping where a life is lost. For cases where victims survive the ordeal, a convicted kidnapper faces life imprisonment.

It introduced a minimum sentence of 21 years for anyone who aids, abets, conspires, or attempts to commit the offense of kidnapping. It targeted those who provide shelter, hideouts, or logistical support to kidnappers. 

 Such individuals are liable to a minimum of 14 years imprisonment on conviction, regardless of whether they participated directly in the crime.

 Notably, the amendment also criminalizes the act of negotiating a ransom. Any individual who receives, offers, or facilitates the exchange of ransom payments, whether a relative or otherwise, is now at risk of prosecution. 

The law aims to break the cycle of financial incentives that have fueled the persistence of the crime, making it less lucrative for perpetrators.

 True to his resolve, the governor has approved and carried out the demolition of not less than 10 houses used for kidnapping and cult-related activities across the state, including residences allegedly used for organ harvesting.