Edo community continue to live in fear as kidnappings surge

Obagie N’evbosa, Edo – Residents of Agric Court and surrounding areas in Obagie N’evbosa along Sapele Road continue to grapple with fear, describing their community as a hotspot for kidnappings for ransom.

Multiple accounts from victims, eyewitnesses, and local sources highlight sophisticated operations targeting individuals perceived to have money, resulting in many completed houses standing empty as families relocate for safety.

According to residents who spoke on condition of anonymity, the incidents follow a pattern with armed men emerging from surrounding bushes, as sources said the operations demonstrate local knowledge and precision, with suspected armed herdsmen and accomplices allegedly using the dense vegetation as cover.

The residents reported that in 2024, a cement seller known as Madam Bush narrowly escaped an attempted abduction at her home in Agric Court after an alarm was raised, noting she has since relocated from the area.

Also, in 2024 at a construction site, armed men in black, wielding AK-47 rifles, abducted workers, and ransom was paid for their release.

In December 2025, a tipper driver was kidnapped at a borrow pit and released after ransom payment, and the following year a payloader operator at another borrow pit suffered the same fate and was freed following ransom.

Only recently a landlord in the area was ambushed; by gunmen who shot at his vehicle, attempted to abduct him, and chased him with cutlasses. He sustained injuries but was rescued by neighbours, even as sources described severe beatings in related cases, including swollen eyes and near-fatal cuts.

Other incidents include the abduction of a poultry farmer and his friend, the mother of a recent resident, and the husband of a newlywed couple.

Residents claim kidnappers “know who has money” and often joke in Pidgin: “Nor worry, dem go soon carry this one.”

One eyewitness said, “The streets of Obagie reek with fear of who will be the next to be kidnapped for ransom.”

Helpless residents have appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo to secure the bushes, develop the community, and address the sophisticated intelligence used by the perpetrators, whom they describe as “too precise for it to be strangers.”

While challenges persist in areas like Obagie N’evbosa, the Edo State Police Command has recorded notable successes in the broader fight against kidnapping through intelligence-led operations, including the use of drones and bush combing.

In 2025, the Command reported 821 arrests and the rescue of hundreds of victims.

Recent breakthroughs include smashing kidnap syndicates, recovering firearms such as AK-47 rifles, and neutralising threats in various parts of the state, even as Governor Monday Okpebholo has demonstrated strong commitment to tackling the menace.

DAILY South Nigeria understands that Okpebholo who recently paraded some suspects publicly, has requested the establishment of special courts for speedy prosecution of kidnapping and cultism cases, warning against local collaborators recruiting outsiders for crimes.

Security agencies continue intensified operations across Edo State.

“It’s a pattern,” one Obagie resident stated, noting, “Governor Okpebholo, please come and help us. Develop that community.”

The accounts from Obagie N’evbosa underscore ongoing anxiety in parts of Edo, even as state authorities intensify efforts amid broader security challenges.

Residents say they are dreading the next incident, while police operations aim to restore confidence and make the state uncomfortable for criminals.