Terrorists ambushed and abducted nine family members on Edo State’s Benin-Akure Expressway Monday.
The brazen attack unfolded in the Eko-Abeku-Iyowa axis of Evboneka community, a notorious hotspot for such assaults.
Armed heavily, the terrorists stormed the area and captured the group, which included five young schoolchildren, a nursing mother clutching her infant, and other relatives.
Family members recounted the horror as the terrorists dragged their loved ones into the bush, leaving the community in shock.
Swift action from security forces turned the tide partially.
Officers from the Ekiadolor Division of the Edo State Police Command, alongside local vigilante groups and a nearby Mobile Police squadron, charged into the fray.
A fierce gun battle erupted, compelling the terrorists to flee and abandon five captives.
Rescuers freed the nursing mother, her baby, and three preschool-aged children unharmed.
Edo State Police spokesperson Chidi Nwabuzor praised the operation, stating, “Our teams acted decisively to rescue these innocents, and we continue pursuing the perpetrators relentlessly.”
However, four victims remain in the terrorists’ grip.
The assailants quickly contacted family and community leaders, demanding a staggering ₦260 million for their release—a sum far exceeding typical ransoms in the region, which often range from ₦100 to ₦200 million.
Desperate relatives plead for government intervention, fearing for the captives’ lives amid the escalating ordeal.
This incident highlights deeper security failures in Edo State.
Terrorists have increasingly targeted families along major highways like the Benin-Akure corridor, sowing fear among commuters and residents.
Community leaders urge federal and state authorities to deploy more patrols, establish permanent checkpoints, and launch intelligence-driven operations.
Meanwhile, locals receive advisories to travel in convoys and report suspicious activities.
As investigations intensify, no group has yet claimed responsibility, but the pattern echoes profit-driven terrorism plaguing other Nigerian regions.
Authorities vow to dismantle these threats.
Nwabuzor affirmed, “We will not rest until all victims return safely and the terrorists face justice.”
With tensions mounting, residents hope for lasting solutions to curb the violence that disrupts daily life in this vulnerable area.
