Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have demanded a N100 million ransom for the release of eight Imoga indigenes abducted from Star Boy Hotel on Imoga-Ibillo Road in Edo State on Friday night. The Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, Oba Patrick Obajoye, disclosed that the assailants, dressed in army uniforms and posing as patrons, seized the victims’ phones, tied their hands, and marched them into the bush.
He stated that the kidnappers have since reduced the ransom to N70 million and suggested the hotelier sell a vehicle to contribute, noting, “The kidnapping looked like an inside job if one considers the way the gunmen spoke to those negotiating the ransom.” While commending police and state government efforts, the monarch lamented the challenge of raising the funds, saying, “It is a very sad day for us… Imagine young men and a woman with a great life ahead of them being abducted.” The incident follows the recent escape of two brothers from kidnappers in the same area in November.