Student Killed, Others Abducted in Edo Attacks
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have killed a 300-level student of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, and abducted five others, including a palace secretary and three children, in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. The attacks occurred on Friday, July 10, 2026, and Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Idoa and Ekpoma communities, respectively.
The student, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, was abducted alongside a woman on Sunday night when the gunmen invaded his residence. According to a Facebook post by the Esan Political Assembly page, the abductors later killed the student, while details surrounding the fate of the woman remained unclear.
Palace Secretary and Children Kidnapped in Idoa
In the Idoa incident, gunmen abducted the secretary to the palace of the community alongside three children. A source who identified the secretary as his brother added that the abductors have demanded N30 million ransom for all the victims. The abductors threatened to kill the victims if the ransom was not paid before the end of July 13.
“My brother was kidnapped on Friday morning at the Idoa community, in Esan West Local Government Area. He is the secretary of the Idoa palace. They are demanding for N30 million,” the family source said. “He was kidnapped alongside other small children that were with him. His vehicle broke down on his way to the farm and he left it where it broke down.”
“The next day, he came back to the place with tools and other things to repair the motor. As he was there to repair the vehicle, gunmen just came out from the bush, rounded them up and took them into the bush. They have made contact demanding for N30m ransom and threatened that if we did not bring the money by the end of today, they will kill them. The children are those of his neighbours. The children followed him to where he wanted to repair his vehicle just to give him support, and he was to bring them back home after the repair because they live together.”
