Gunmen believed to be Fulani herdsmen have reportedly kidnapped a retired headmaster, Mr. Eliaser Olorunloju, near a Fulani settlement in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.
The abduction occurred between Sasaro and Ayetoro, along the deteriorating Igarra–Uneme-Nekhua–Ibillo Road within Akoko-Edo.
Olorunloju was reportedly returning to Ugboshi-Ele from Igarra, the local government headquarters, where he had gone to photocopy documents in preparation for his son’s resumption at a tertiary institution.
On Monday, it was gathered that the kidnappers contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N70 million. Comrade Victor Arogunyo, Director of Operations and Strategy for the Concerned Minds Initiative of Akoko-Edo (CMIA), confirmed the incident.
“The kidnapping occurred around Aiyetoro–Somorika Junction, close to a Fulani settlement on the Ibillo–Uneme–Nekhua–Igarra Road. This is yet another sad reminder that Akoko-Edo is under siege,” Arogunyo stated.
He added, “In the past few months, this is about the fifth kidnapping in that area, near the camp, which is less than a five-minute trek away. The government must take urgent action. I spoke with his traditional ruler, who confirmed the kidnappers called on Sunday evening demanding N70 million.”
Arogunyo identified several factors fueling insecurity across Edo North, including poor road conditions, criminal activities by herders, inadequate funding for security agencies, low morale among vigilantes and hunters, and weak prosecution of arrested suspects.
