Ekiti woman dies in captivity as six regain freedom
The family of seven abducted residents of Erinmope-Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State has been thrown into mourning following the death of one of the victims in
The family of seven abducted residents of Erinmope-Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State has been thrown into mourning following the death of one of the victims in captivity.
It was gathered that six of the abductees regained their freedom after the payment of N25m ransom to the kidnappers. However, the remains of the deceased victim have yet to be released to her family.
The victims were abducted on January 24, 2026, when gunmen stormed Erinmope-Ekiti and seized five women, including a nursing mother and a pregnant woman. The kidnappers initially demanded N100m for their release.
Two additional persons, who reportedly took an initial N10m ransom to the abductors, were also detained after the kidnappers rejected the amount.
One of the freed victims, identified as Muhammad Soliu, narrated the ordeal on Wednesday, describing the experience as harrowing.
He alleged that the abductors subjected them to severe hardship, leaving them in the forest for days without food or water.
“We were tied together like goats and forced to trek long distances barefoot.
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The kidnappers spoke English and other Nigerian languages and operated in shifts,” he said.
Soliu disclosed that one of the abducted women, identified as Hawau Suleiman, died in captivity after collapsing from exhaustion during one of the forced treks through the forest.
“She became too weak and collapsed. We pleaded with them to allow us to carry her, but they threatened to kill us and ordered us to keep moving without looking back,” he said.
According to him, the abductees were moved across forests spanning parts of Kwara and Kogi states. He added that he was eventually freed in the Idofin area of Kwara State, while others were released in Kogi State.
Soliu said he and his brother spent 11 days in captivity after delivering the initial N10m ransom, while the five women earlier abducted were held for about a month.
He appealed to security agencies to assist in recovering the corpse of the deceased for burial, noting that locating the exact spot where she died might be difficult due to the dense forest terrain.
When contacted, the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said the command would investigate the incident and provide further details.
