The incidents, which occurred at different locations, have heightened anxiety among residents amid reports that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of ₦100 million for two of the victims.

In a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, the National Coordinator of the Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People, Bode Ekundayo, said the first attack occurred at the Makeke Community Health Centre.

According to him, gunmen abducted a female secondary school student, Tope Oriloye, and Samuel Ilesanmi, who had taken his sick son to the health facility with his wife.

He said, “Daring kidnappers struck again in Akoko Edo, this time at Makeke village, less than a kilometre away from Ososo in the eastern part of Akoko Edo, taking away a secondary school female student, Tope Oriloye and Samuel Ilesanmi on February 8 at the community health centre.”

Ekundayo added that the abductors later contacted the families of the victims, demanding ₦100 million for their release.

The group also disclosed that in a separate operation in Auchi, kidnappers invaded the residence of Police Inspector Segun Obanowa from Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo and abducted him, alongside his wife and daughter.

The gunmen reportedly released the officer’s wife to enable her source ransom for the freedom of her husband and daughter.

“In a similar operation in Auchi, kidnappers invaded the residence of Police Inspector Segun Obanowa from Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo and kidnapped him, his wife and daughter, later releasing his wife to go look for ransom to free her husband and daughter,” Ekundayo said.

Ekundayo stated that local hunters and vigilantes swung into action immediately after the incident, combing nearby forests and surrounding communities in search of the victims.

However, their efforts yielded no result.

“However, the kidnappers called in the evening on February 9 to ask for ₦100 million for Tope Oriloye and Samuel Ilesanmi to be released.

“This trend of demanding ₦100 million to commence ransom negotiation is becoming a familiar thing, having manifested its irritating trend in previous kidnap ransom negotiations,” he added.

The group called on the Edo State Government and the Akoko Edo Local Government to urgently address the worsening security situation in the area.

It warned that continued inaction could lead to a more severe crisis.

“We have written, warned, and passed timely information to all security agencies and the tiers of government in Edo State earlier. Or is it not yet obvious that the worsening scourge will snowball into intractable catastrophes in future? Akoko Edo is surrounded.

“Is it not clear that gunmen from Benue and Kwara States are fast descending on Edo State, their open gateway being the vast wilderness of Akoko Edo?” Ekundayo stated.

The Edo State Police Command confirmed the kidnapping in Makeke, noting that suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said investigations were ongoing and efforts were being intensified to rescue the victims.

“I can confirm to you that a kidnapping case occurred at Makeke Village in Akoko Edo Local Government in Edo North. Some suspects are in police custody and efforts to rescue the victims are ongoing,” she said.

The development comes weeks after seven indigenes of Imoga were kidnapped on January 9 while lodging at Stay Boy Hotel along the Imoga-Ibillo road.

The hotel owner was also abducted alongside the guests.

On January 11, the kidnappers demanded ₦100 million ransom, which was later negotiated down to ₦70 million and subsequently ₦40 million.

By January 16, the abductors reportedly threatened to start killing the victims if the ransom was not paid, but they were eventually released after an undisclosed amount was paid.

Residents say the recurring kidnappings and rising ransom demands have intensified fear across Akoko Edo and neighbouring communities.