Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted five women, including a pregnant woman and a nursing mother, in Erinmope-Ekiti, Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State, and are demanding a ransom of ₦100 million for their release.
The victims were reportedly seized on Saturday evening when the assailants stormed a family residence in the community, which shares a boundary with Kwara State.
Speaking on Tuesday, the head of the affected family, Muhammad Saliu Okanlawon, said the attackers arrived at about 7 p.m., firing gunshots to create panic before whisking away five female members of his household.
Okanlawon, a 60-year-old cattle dealer, explained that the abducted women are wives and children of his younger brother and son.
He identified them as Kehinde Mahmud, Adijat Hussein, Hawawu Suleiman, Fatima, and another Fatima.
He said the men of the family were away at the mosque at the time of the attack, which initially raised no suspicion until the assailants had fled.
“By the time we returned, we discovered that five of our women had been taken away,” he said. “We immediately alerted the security agencies, and they responded swiftly.”
According to him, a joint team comprising the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun operatives and other security personnel was mobilised to pursue the kidnappers, but their efforts yielded no result.
“The Area Commander even visited the community. We later learnt that the kidnappers did not escape through the usual Osin route into Kwara State. They may have blended with residents to hide their identities,” he added.
Okanlawon disclosed that the abductors contacted the family only once to demand ₦100 million, after which communication ceased.
“They called just once and asked for ₦100 million. Since then, there has been no word from them. We are appealing to the government to help us. We don’t know what else to do,” he said.
He expressed deep concern over the condition of the victims, noting that one of them is nine months pregnant. “You can imagine what she must be going through. This is a very painful experience for us,” he lamented.
Describing the incident as unprecedented, Okanlawon said the family had lived peacefully in Erinmope-Ekiti for over 70 years, despite originating from Kwara State.
“We have never witnessed anything like this in this community before,” he said, adding that raising such a huge ransom was far beyond the family’s means.
When contacted, the Ekiti State Amotekun Corps Commander, Brigadier General Olu Adewa (retd.), said details of the incident were still being verified and promised to provide updates after further investigation.
A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the abduction, saying security agencies had intensified efforts to secure the release of the victims.