The Labour Party (LP) Ward 1 Chairman for Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, Okasime Olowojoba, has been abducted along the Auchi-Benin-Ibillo Road while returning to Igarra from Auchi.
Olowojoba, who is also a realtor, was kidnapped on Saturday near Sasaro, a location notorious for frequent abductions.
He was reportedly on his way to pick up his children, who had spent their holidays in Auchi, ahead of school resumption.
Sources said the kidnappers initially seized all the occupants of the vehicle — Olowojoba, his children, and a house help — but later released the children and the house help, taking only Olowojoba into the nearby forest.
His vehicle was found abandoned at the scene.
A family member, speaking to Vanguard on Monday, confirmed that the kidnappers are demanding a ransom of N50 million for his release.
The source said: “Valentine Okasime Olowojoba, Ward 1 Chairman of the Labour Party, was kidnapped on Saturday around Sasaro, an area known for such incidents.
Due to poor network coverage, there was no communication until Sunday afternoon.
The kidnappers initially took everyone but later freed the house help and children, keeping only him.”
The source added that several others were reportedly abducted in the same area on Sunday.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Edo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, went unanswered.