Kidnapped Edo Siblings Flee Forest After Captors Slumber, Community Calls Urgently For Enhanced Security Measures [VIDEO]

 

Tension gave way to relief in Imoga Kingdom, Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, after two abducted brothers, Isaac and Victor Olayere, regained freedom under strange circumstances. Their escape followed what many described as a miraculous twist when their kidnappers reportedly slept off deep in the forest, giving the victims the chance to flee.

The incident occurred along the Adughe-Imoga Road on November 8, 2025. According to residents, the brothers were returning home when a gang of armed men intercepted them and whisked them into the forest. Hours after the abduction, the kidnappers reached out to the family and demanded a ransom of twenty-two million naira, sending waves of panic through the community.

Oba Patrick Obajoye, the Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, confirmed the development in an interview with Punch on Monday, November 10. He described the experience as both shocking and revealing, adding that the incident further highlighted the insecurity plaguing the border communities of Edo State. The traditional ruler explained that he had immediately reported the kidnapping to the Ibillo Police Station and urged security agencies to act swiftly to prevent further breakdown of peace in the area.

Obajoye narrated that the victims’ escape came as a surprise to everyone. According to him, the brothers managed to slip away after their captors suddenly drifted into deep sleep. Their escape led them to Adughe, a nearby community in Kogi State that shares cultural and linguistic ties with Imoga. Members of the Adughe vigilante group found the brothers wandering in the forest and quickly alerted Imoga residents about the discovery.

The traditional ruler said the youths of Imoga mobilised in large numbers to comb the forest, but the kidnappers had already fled by the time they arrived. He praised the vigilance of the Adughe community for their swift response and called on residents to remain alert.

Speaking further, Obajoye lamented the increasing cases of kidnapping and attacks by armed herders within the region. He said the absence of a police post in Imoga had made the area vulnerable to criminal activities, stressing that urgent government intervention was needed to protect lives and property.

He appealed to both state and federal authorities to establish a police post in Imoga, noting that such a move would deter criminals and bring some measure of calm to residents who now live in constant fear. He described Imoga as one of the largest villages in Akoko Edo, with vast landmass connecting Edo State to parts of Ondo and Kogi States. According to him, the geographical location has made it an easy passage for herders and other groups moving from the north to the south, often leading to insecurity.

Residents of the area have continued to commend the courage of the Olayere brothers, calling their escape an act of divine intervention. Many have also renewed calls for improved security surveillance along rural roads and border communities. The joyful reunion of the brothers with their family marked the end of a terrifying ordeal that could have ended in tragedy, but the community remains wary, knowing the threat of kidnapping still looms large across the region.