The family of twin siblings abducted by gunmen in Edo State has dismissed claims by the police that the teenagers were rescued unhurt, insisting that their freedom was secured only after a substantial ransom was paid to their captors.
The twins, Emmanuel and Emmanuella Ilabeshi, both 16, were abducted on December 11, 2025, after their father, Andrew Ilabeshi, was brutally attacked and later killed by suspected kidnappers at Kalabar Quarters, Afokpella, in Etsako East Local Government Area of the state.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants stormed the family residence late at night, forcefully gaining entry before switching off the generator.
When Ilabeshi reportedly stepped out to investigate the sudden blackout, he was ambushed and inflicted with deep machete cuts. The attackers then whisked away his two children into the bush.
Ilabeshi was later confirmed dead from the injuries he sustained during the attack.
Residents disclosed that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N100m for the release of the twins, throwing the family and the community into panic and grief.
Following days of uncertainty, the Edo State Police Command announced that the teenagers had been rescued unhurt by a combined team of security operatives. However, the family has strongly refuted the claim.
Speaking , a brother of the deceased, Okhale Ilabeshi, said the twins were released by their abductors only after ransom was paid, describing the police account as misleading.
“The twins were not rescued by anybody. We paid ransom. The kidnappers were the ones calling us repeatedly. After the money was paid, they directed us to a location where the children were dropped.
Nobody rescued them,” Okhale said.
He added that the emotional trauma suffered by the twins deepened after their release when they were informed of their father’s death.
“They were kidnapped on December 11. When they were released, they were weak, exhausted and traumatised. They knew their father was badly injured, but they never knew he had died until after they regained freedom. That news shattered them,” he added.
Okhale lamented the worsening security situation in the area, noting that despite efforts by the community to strengthen its local vigilante group, kidnappings and violent crimes have continued unchecked.
“Our community has tried by strengthening the vigilante, but it is not enough. We urgently need the intervention of the state and federal governments to curb these kidnappings and protect lives,” he said.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the rising wave of violent crimes and abductions in parts of Edo State, with residents calling for more decisive action by security agencies to restore confidence and safety in rural communities.
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