Gunmen kill 300-level varsity student in Edo, abduct three children

Gunmen have abducted the secretary to a traditional palace and three children in Idoa community, Edo State, with the kidnappers reportedly demanding a ransom of N30 million for their release.

According to a family source, the victim had returned to repair his vehicle after it developed a fault while he was travelling to his farm the previous day.

The source, who identified himself as the victim's brother, said the palace secretary had gone back with repair tools when armed men emerged from the bush, overpowered him and the three children who accompanied him, and marched them into the forest.

300-Level university student shot dead in Edo

"My brother was kidnapped on Friday morning in Idoa community. They are demanding N30 million ransom," the source said.

"He was repairing his vehicle when the gunmen came out of the bush and abducted him along with the children who had accompanied him. They have threatened to kill them if we fail to pay the ransom before the end of today."

300-Level university student shot dead in Edo

The source explained that the children were neighbours who had volunteered to assist the palace secretary and were expected to return home with him after the vehicle was repaired.

In a related development, the Esan Political Assembly, in a post shared on Facebook, alleged that a 300-level university student who was abducted in a separate incident was later killed by his captors. The group added that the fate of a woman reportedly abducted alongside the student remains unclear.

As of the time of filing this report, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, CSP Eno Ikoedem, had yet to respond to enquiries seeking official confirmation of the incidents.