Edo Police Rescue Kidnapped Twins After Father’s Grisly Murder

Gunmen stormed a quiet residence in Kalabar Quarters, Afokpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State on Thursday, December 11, 2025, shattering a family’s peace in a brazen kidnapping plot that ended in tragedy.

The attackers, armed and ruthless, cut off the home’s generator to create darkness before ambushing 16-year-old twins Emmanuel and Emmanuella Okhale. Their father, Ilabeshi Okhale, ventured outside to investigate the sudden power outage, only to be hacked with machetes in a savage assault that left him bleeding profusely.

Despite rushed transport to Ajie Hospital, Mr. Okhale succumbed to his injuries upon arrival, leaving the twins’ fate in the hands of their abductors who dragged them into nearby dense forests.

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Kidnappers wasted no time, reportedly phoning the family with a staggering ₦100 million ransom demand for the teenagers’ safe return—a sum that underscored the escalating audacity of banditry in Nigeria’s South-South region.

Swift Multi-Agency Rescue Operation

Edo State Police Command sprang into action following an emergency distress call, launching a high-stakes collaborative manhunt that blended professional forces with community muscle.

ASP Eno Ikoedem, the command’s Public Relations Officer, detailed the response in a statement: “A joint team comprising police operatives, Nigerian Army personnel, Edo State Security Corps (ESSC), local hunters, and vigilantes combed the expansive bush areas relentlessly.”

Their coordinated sweep paid off dramatically. By late Friday, the twins emerged unscathed from captivity, reunited with grieving relatives in a moment of profound relief amid ongoing sorrow for their slain father.

No arrests have been confirmed yet, but Ikoedem assured the public that “investigations continue aggressively to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to book.”

Broader Context of Edo’s Kidnapping Crisis

This incident fits a disturbing pattern in Edo State, where kidnapping for ransom has surged amid porous borders and economic hardships. Recent reports from reputable newspapers highlight similar abductions in Etsako East, including a November 2025 case where five farmers were freed after days in captivity.

Security analysts point to cross-border influxes from Benin Republic as a factor, with groups exploiting forested terrains for hideouts. Edo’s Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, has repeatedly vowed intensified patrols, crediting community tips for breakthroughs like this rescue.

Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration bolstered ESSC ranks last year, yet incidents persist, prompting calls for federal intervention in border surveillance.

The Okhale family’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of vulnerabilities in rural communities. As festivities usher in 2026, residents urge sustained vigilance.

Police urge anyone with information on the suspects to contact the nearest station or the command’s hotline.