Gunmen abduct family of three, four others despite security presence in Edo

DDM News

A family of three, along with four other individuals, have been abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers in the Ivbiaro community, located in the Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday, left the community in shock.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that the victims, including the father, mother, and their son, were traveling with four other family friends from Kaduna State.

The group was en route to attend a 40-day fidau prayer for a late mother-in-law when they were abducted just a few meters from the community.

The kidnapping took place on the Auchi-Warrake road, near a notorious spot not far from a security checkpoint.

According to sources familiar with the incident, the family had chartered the vehicle from Kaduna State to travel to Ivbiaro for the scheduled prayer on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

The group had been looking forward to the event when they were ambushed by the kidnappers.

One of the sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, revealed that the kidnappers initially took the entire family, along with their friends.

However, they later abandoned a mother and her two children after the children’s cries reportedly caught the attention of the abductors.

The remaining victims, including the father, Mallam Nezifi, his wife, their son, and a female friend, were taken into captivity.

The kidnappers have since demanded a ransom of N10 million for the release of the captives.

The community has been left in confusion as the kidnapping incident has disrupted the planned prayers, which were an important event for the family.

As of now, the abducted family members and their friends are still being held by the kidnappers.

The family is reportedly doing everything in their power to gather the ransom and secure their release.

Local authorities have not provided any updates regarding efforts to rescue the victims, and the community is anxiously waiting for developments.

This incident highlights the growing security concerns in the region, where kidnapping for ransom has become an increasingly common threat.

The kidnapping occurred in a community that had previously enjoyed relative peace, but it has now joined a list of areas grappling with the menace of criminal activities, particularly kidnapping.

The situation is part of a larger wave of insecurity in Nigeria, where criminal gangs often target travelers, businesspeople, and local residents in search of quick financial gains.

Local authorities are under pressure to increase security measures and address the rising cases of kidnapping across the country.

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