Tragedy struck in Uluoke, a community in Uzairue, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, as gunmen killed a man and abducted his pregnant wife along with her sister during a midnight attack.
The Edo State Police Command confirmed the incident and identified the deceased as Friday Pius. The command’s spokesperson, CSP Moses Yamu, said law enforcement officers have been deployed to the area and are currently working with local vigilante groups and hunters to locate the victims and apprehend the culprits.
“The command is fully aware of the situation, and necessary deployments have been made,” Yamu said. “Our officers are currently combing the surrounding bushes in an effort to rescue the kidnapped victims.”
The attack reportedly occurred in the early hours of Monday, between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., when armed men stormed the victim’s residence. Witnesses said Mr. Pius was shot dead, while his wife—who is expecting a child—and her sister were taken away by the attackers.
Following the incident, the couple’s three children were found crying next to their father’s body after the assailants had fled. Many residents said they were too terrified to respond to the gunfire at the time, only emerging later to discover the tragic scene.
“In the morning, people came out and found him in a pool of blood,” a local resident recounted. “His wife and her sister were nowhere to be found.”
In response to the incident, women in the community staged a protest to express their outrage and demand swift action from the government and security agencies. One of the protesters, identified as Rashidetu, said the demonstration was sparked not only by the recent abduction but also by ongoing insecurity in the area.
“We can no longer go to our farms. Herdsmen are destroying our crops, feeding their cattle, and attacking anyone who confronts them,” she lamented. “People are living in fear and can’t even engage in farming anymore.”
She urged security operatives to intensify their efforts in restoring peace and protecting lives and property in the community.
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