Grief has enveloped Erinmope-Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State following the death of one of seven persons abducted by gunmen, despite the payment of a N25 million ransom to secure their freedom.
Relatives disclosed that while six victims have been released, the corpse of the deceased woman has not been recovered, leaving the family unable to conduct burial rites.
The abduction occurred on January 24, 2026, when armed assailants stormed the community and kidnapped five women, including a nursing and a pregnant mother, with an initial ransom demand of N100 million.
The crisis escalated after two persons who delivered an initial N10 million to the kidnappers were also held captive when the abductors rejected the payment.
A survivor, Muhammad Soliu, narrated that the victims endured severe hardship in the forest, alleging they were denied food and water for several days during captivity.
He said the abductees were compelled to walk long distances barefoot while bound together, adding that one of the women, Hawau Suleiman, became weak during the trek, collapsed and eventually died.
According to him, the captives were moved through remote forests spanning Kwara and Kogi states before their eventual release, noting that the kidnappers operated in an organised manner and communicated fluently in different Nigerian languages.
The family has appealed for assistance from security agencies to recover the deceased’s remains, while the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, confirmed that the command had commenced inquiries into the incident and promised further updates.