Residents of Erinmope-Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State have been thrown into mourning after one of seven kidnapped victims reportedly lost her life while in the custody of abductors, despite efforts by families to secure their release.
Sources disclosed that six of the victims have regained freedom following the payment of N25 million ransom, while the remains of the deceased woman are yet to be recovered for burial by her relatives.
The victims were seized on January 24, 2026, when gunmen invaded the community and abducted five women, among them a nursing mother and a pregnant woman, while demanding N100 million for their release.
The situation reportedly became more complicated after two individuals who delivered an initial N10 million ransom were also detained when the kidnappers declined the offer.
One of the freed victims, Muhammad Soliu, recounted the ordeal, saying they were subjected to harsh treatment and kept in the forest under difficult conditions without adequate food or water.
He explained that the abductees were forced to walk long distances barefoot and bound together, adding that a woman identified as Hawau Suleiman became exhausted during the journey, collapsed and later died.
Soliu further revealed that the victims were moved across remote locations between Kwara and Kogi states before their eventual release, noting that the kidnappers appeared coordinated and communicated in several Nigerian languages.
Meanwhile, the family has appealed to security agencies for assistance in retrieving the deceased’s body still believed to be in the forest, while the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said investigations were ongoing and more information would be made available.