18th February, 2025
By Jethro Ibileke
Residents of Ubiaja town, Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State are now living in fear as a result of invasion of their community by kidnappers.
Many residents have reportedly been abducted from their homes for ransom in recent times.
It was gathered that the latest incident occurred on Sunday, 16 February, 2025, when some armed men stormed a house in Udakpa quarters and abducted a man who was a visitor to the house.
The son of the victim was reportedly received severe head injuries.
According to concerned residents, Sunday’s incident made it the second time in 2025 that kidnappers have invaded Udakpa in the middle of the night to abduct residents.
The precision of the attacks has left many questioning how the criminals obtain information about their targets, making one of the leaders in the community, Dennis Oriasotie, said: “How did they know the man was around? He doesn’t even live here permanently?”
According to residents, a similar attack occurred last week in Ukpaja, another part of Ubiaja.
The criminals were said to have planned to abduct a specific individual, also a visitor, but when he was unavailable, they seized his mother instead.
A resident who does not want his name in print, ques: “Are our people aiding these evil perpetrators? How do they know exactly which houses to attack?”
“Ubiaja is under siege. Esanland is unsafe. The authorities must act now,” said Oselumhense Anetor, a youth leader.
The State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Moses Yamu, who said he was yet to be briefed of the incident.
He, however, encouraged residents to go to the Divisional Police Station to formally report such an incident,
