Gunmen kill AAU student, abduct palace secretary, four others in Edo

By Jethro Ibileke

Fresh insecurity has gripped parts of Edo State following separate attacks by suspected kidnappers that claimed the life of a 300-level student of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, and left five other persons, including a palace secretary and three children, in captivity.

The attacks occurred in Ekpoma and Idoa communities in Esan West Local Government Area on Sunday, July 12, and Friday, July 10, 2026, respectively.

The undergraduate, whose identity had yet to be confirmed at the time of filing this report, was reportedly abducted alongside a woman after gunmen invaded his residence in Ekpoma on Sunday night.

According to a Facebook post by the Esan Political Assembly, the student was later killed by his abductors, while details surrounding the fate of the woman remained unclear.

In a separate incident in Idoa, gunmen abducted the secretary to the community’s traditional palace and three children believed to be those of his neighbours.

A family source said the victim had returned to repair his vehicle after it developed a fault while he was travelling to his farm the previous day.

The source, who identified himself as the victim’s brother, said the palace secretary had gone back with tools to fix the vehicle when armed men emerged from the bush, overpowered him and the children, and marched them into the forest.

“My brother was kidnapped on Friday morning in Idoa community. They are demanding ₦30 million ransom,” the source said.

“He was repairing his vehicle when the gunmen came out of the bush and abducted him along with the children who had accompanied him. They have threatened to kill them if we fail to pay the ransom before the end of today.”

He explained that the children were neighbours who had volunteered to assist the palace secretary and were expected to return home with him after the repair.

As of the time of filing this report, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, CSP Eno Ikoedem, had yet to respond to enquiries seeking confirmation of the incidents.

The latest attacks have heightened fears among residents of Esan West, which has witnessed a series of violent crimes in recent months.

On February 26, 2026, a senior community chief, Chief Jimah Jacob Ogboi, was reportedly shot dead by armed men during a night attack in the area. His wife sustained machete injuries, while his two daughters were abducted by the attackers.

The recurring attacks have renewed calls for stronger security measures to tackle the growing menace of kidnapping and violent crime in Edo communities.