Metro

Why We Faked Our Abduction, Demand Ransom From Our Parents — Minors

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2023

Editor

Two female minors who stage-managed their abduction in Oka-Akoko, Akoko South West council area of Ondo state, have confessed to maltreatment by their mother.

The girls, aged 15 and 13 years, who are in Junior Secondary School 3 and Senior Secondary School 1, were amongst 28 suspected criminals paraded by the state security outfit codenamed Amotekun, in Akure, the state capital.

Vanguard gathered that the girls after the act, demanded N100,000 as ransom from their parents

According to the two girls, “We told our parents that we’ve been kidnapped to punish our mother who used to maltreat us and has made life miserable for the two of us.”

One of the girls, in an interview, said: “I was the one who initiated the plan because I wanted to punish my mother, who has been behaving as if she is not my mother. I never wanted to use the money for anything but just to punish her.

“18 suspects were arrested for kidnapping and 10 others for illegal possession of firearms, cult activity, and housebreaking amongst other offences..

While parading the suspects, the state Commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said the two minors from Oka-Akoko, kidnapped themselves and demanded N100,000 ransom from their parents and the traditional ruler of the community.

Adeleye added that: “They were later arrested in a hotel after staying there for three days.

” Their parent raised the alarm that their children were kidnapped and reported at the Amotekun office, and we swung into action but when they called for ransom we tracked the phone number they used and we were able to arrest them, but the young girls attributed their action to the ill-treatment by their mother.

“We appreciate the Department of State Service (DSS) for assisting us in apprehending them.

” When they we negotiating, they even threatened the traditional ruler that if the ransom was not paid within two hours, they are going to kill the victims without knowing that they are the criminals perpetrating the act.”

on other suspects arrested, the Commander said that a kidnap syndicate held two ladies hostage, tortured them, raped them and forcefully took their ATM and withdrew monies from their bank account.

Also, Adeleye, added that a 53-year-old woman, identified as Ajara Salamat was arrested for preparing food for kidnap victims and providing daily needs for the kidnappers in the forest and helping them to charge their phones.

“We also, have one Coker Noah, who held two ladies hostage and employed two other men to torture and rape them for weeks before one of the victims had access to the phone and called us and we were able to apprehend them.

“We have a family where the mother specializes in buying daily needs including food for kidnap suspects and victims in Owo and Ifon.

“We equally have a group that we apprehended along kidnap areas and items found on them include several ATMs to which they could not explain how they came about it but we suspect that the ATMs belong to the suspects they held hostage and a lot of other things which they could not justify how it came to them,” the statement added.

Adeleye while giving the breakdown of those arrested said that “a total of 28 suspects we are parading today shows that we have more kidnap suspects than any other criminal activities. This is in continuation of our efforts at ensuring that kidnapping in Ondo State becomes a thing of the past.

“We equally have kidnap suspects of some very high profile individuals in the society that we are still working on.

“We equally want to advise the public to be wary of the new trend of criminal activities now. Most times, the victim will board a motorcycle or taxi and you will see them blowing balloons.

“These balloons are already laced with poisonous gas that makes their victims to dose off and become unconscious.

”After this, they take the victim to wherever they want and do whatever they want with them and some of the victims will recall nothing after they recover, most times they lose their senses for two-three days.”

Adeleye added that “They won’t remember what happened not to talk of identifying the criminals. So, we want to advise the general public to be careful when they board Okada or taxi”.

Metro

Edo Assembly Declares Okpebholo’s Projects Unprecedented

Published

4 days ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

The Edo State House of Assembly has described projects embarked upon by Governor Monday Okpebholo as unprecedented in the history of Edo State.

Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Atu Osamwonyi, made the assertion when he led members of the legislature on a comprehensive oversight inspection of several ongoing infrastructural projects.

Other lawmakers on the oversight team included Hon. Addeh Isibor, Hon. Yekini Idaiye, and Hon. Ugabi Kingsley.

Hon. Osamwonyi, who spoke during an assessment tour of the Sapele Road Flyover, said the lawmakers were in the field to verify the progress of work and ensure that funds appropriated by the Assembly were being judiciously utilised.

According to him, the flyover represents a milestone for Benin City and reflects the governor’s commitment to infrastructural renewal.

He emphasised that unlike past administrations where funds were approved with no tangible results, the Okpebholo-led government had demonstrated transparency and visible delivery.

“In my entire life in Edo State, this flyover project is the first of its kind. We are here physically, and work is ongoing,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker added that the Assembly had earlier inspected the Ramat Park Flyover on Monday, noting similar levels of progress.

“This is the fifth site we have visited since yesterday. We are impressed with what we have seen so far, and as a House, we will stand by the governor to ensure he finishes strong,” he said.

At Ogheghe, Old Sapele Road and Ekae Road—where a 14-kilometre road and concrete drainage network is underway—Hon. Osamwonyi described the construction efforts as unprecedented, expressing astonishment at the level of work done within a short period.

He insisted that the legislature does not play politics with accountability and would speak the truth at all times.

“If Governor Okpebholo was not doing well, we would say it. But I stand here today to affirm that the funds appropriated are being used judiciously for the benefit of the people.l”, he noted.

He further remarked that despite limited financial resources, the governor had delivered projects many believed were impossible.

The Deputy Speaker recalled that several communities, particularly in Ogheghe, previously suffered from severe road degradation that made access impossible, even for motorcycles.

“But today we are standing here with joy. The governor has brought democracy to Edo in a way the people can feel,” he said.

According to him, contractors handling the projects confirmed that although the initial timeline was two years, work would likely be completed within one year and six months due to the speed of implementation.

“That tells you that Governor Okpebholo is not eating Edo people’s money,” he added.

Hon. Osamwonyi stressed that the Assembly would resist any attempt to derail the governor’s momentum.

“This is the continuity we want in Edo State. Anybody who wants to thwart the governor’s efforts, we will not agree,” he said.

The oversight team also visited the 5.86-kilometre road project linking Amagba and Obagie-N’Ebvuosa, where the engineer handling the project reported that 4.3 kilometres of drainage had already been completed.

Metro

Edo Final-year Student Dies In Sign-out Motorcade Crash

Published

5 days ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

A yet-to-be-identified final-year student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, has lost his life in a road crash after he and some other students embarked on a motorcade parade to celebrate the completion of their final examinations.

It was learnt on Tuesday from a Facebook user, Inside Edo, that the accident occurred on Monday shortly after the students finished their final examination.

Inside Edo disclosed that the vehicle had attempted to overtake another before losing control and ramming into a truck.

The post read, “A tragic accident has occurred at Ujoelen, close to the primary school, resulting in the death of a newly graduated student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.

“According to eyewitnesses, the crash happened during an attempted overtaking by one of the vehicles involved.

“The risky manoeuvre reportedly led to a loss of control, causing the fatal incident. Residents who were nearby rushed to the scene, but the victim could not be saved.”

Similarly, the News Agency of Nigeria reported that the students were said to have been driving recklessly before crashing into a stationary truck.

The deceased was said to be part of a convoy made up of fresh graduates of the university.

NAN reported, “He was reportedly part of a convoy of fresh graduates who took to the highway on Monday shortly after their signing-out activities.

“Witnesses said the group drove recklessly and failed to observe basic safety rules during the celebrations.

“The tragedy occurred when the deceased attempted to overtake a moving truck but collided with a stationary vehicle parked along the road.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Cyril Mathew, proved abortive, as the official number available on the FRSC directory was not reachable at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, NAN reported that Mathew later confirmed the incident, adding that one person died while five others were injured in the crash.

“The students, after writing their last paper, took to the road in a convoy.

“In the process, one of them overtook another vehicle and rammed into a stationary truck,” NAN quoted Mathew as saying.

Metro

One Dies In Oyo Fire, Two Rescued

Published

5 days ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

One person lost her life in a fire incident at Agbaakin Street, behind Testing Ground, Iwo Road, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday.

This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, in Ibadan, on Tuesday.

He said the fire resulted from a lighted charcoal cooking pot left unattended, which ignited nearby combustible materials.

Akinwande added that the firefighting operation was successfully carried out with the support of officers of the Federal Fire Service.

“The fire emergency was received at exactly 20:18 hours on Monday, December 8, 2025.

“On getting there, it was two rooms on the upper floor of a private residential building of 12 rooms engulfed by fire.

“One person (female) was recovered, while two persons (males) were rescued alive. The fire also affected only two rooms, and the whole building and other properties worth millions of naira were saved by the officers of the agency.

“The fire incident was a result of a lighted charcoal cooking pot left unattended, which ignited nearby combustible materials. The operation was jointly carried out with the Federal Fire Service, Ibadan Command,” he explained.

In a related development, a fire incident on Tuesday engulfed the Agric Business Development Agency at Total Garden in Ibadan.

A statement by the State Fire Service Chairman, Akinwande, said the agency received a telephone call through Mr Akinyinka reporting that fire had ravaged the place.

“The incident was reported at exactly 09:20hrs on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, through a telephone call by Mr Akinyinka (the General Manager, Oyo State Fire Services Agency) to the office, reporting a fire at the above-stated address.

“The officers, led by ACFS Oyeniyi Taofeek, swiftly mobilised and deployed to the scene. Upon arrival, it was discovered that electrical sparks from a solar inverter control board on the upper floor of the building resulted in the fire.

“The swift response and professional intervention of our officers prevented the situation from escalating into a fire disaster. The use of portable fire extinguishers was employed during the firefighting operation.

“No casualty was recorded, and properties worth millions of naira were saved by the fire service. The fire incident was a result of electrical sparks from the inverter system,” the statement read.

The chairman, therefore, advised the public to always use correct cables and other electrical materials for their installations.