In a distressing incident, the Oba of Idofin, Shedrack Durojaiye Obibeni, and his wife were kidnapped by suspected gunmen in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State. The abduction took place on Monday around 5 pm along the Makutu-Idofin road.
The Chairman of Yagba East Local Government Council, Mr Abdulrasak Asiru, expressed shock and sadness over the incident. He stated that such an occurrence had not happened in the area for nearly two years, given the robust security measures in place.
Asiru revealed that the kidnapping appeared to have been carefully planned by the perpetrators. The Oba and his wife had stepped out briefly, and within a span of ten minutes, the incident occurred. He expressed suspicion regarding the circumstances and vowed to identify the criminals responsible and secure the safe release of the abducted couple.
The council chairman immediately alerted traditional rulers and community leaders in Okun land, urging them to be vigilant and assist in the search efforts. Local hunters and vigilante groups were dispatched to comb the surrounding areas for any leads that could lead to the rescue of the Oba and his wife.
The Kogi Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, mentioned that he had not yet received a briefing from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) responsible for the affected area regarding the incident.