Gunmen Abducts Woman at Benin Market ,Okpebholo Orders Swift Action

Panic gripped traders and shoppers at the popular Vegetable Market along Airport Road in Benin City on Sunday after suspected gunmen abducted a woman in broad daylight.

Witnesses said the victim had visited the market with her husband and children when armed men stormed the area and forcefully took her away. In the confusion that followed, her husband reportedly fled while the assailants whisked the woman to an unknown destination.

The incident, captured in videos circulating on social media, has generated widespread concern among residents, who have called on security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the victim’s release and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
One eyewitness, who claimed to have assisted the victim’s children during the incident, described the experience as traumatic and unprecedented. She said the abduction occurred in her presence while both women were shopping at the market.

“Kidnapping happened right before my eyes at the Vegetable Market on Airport Road. I helped save the woman’s children. I even sustained bruises while trying to help,” the witness said in a video seen by Radio Nigeria.

Reacting to the incident, the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, CSP Eno Ikoedem, confirmed that security operatives were investigating the matter. She, however, described the incident as an abduction rather than a kidnapping, noting that there was no information yet indicating that the perpetrators had contacted the family to demand ransom.

“I am aware there was an abduction incident in that area earlier today and we are already investigating the matter. The woman, her husband and children had gone to the market after church service when she was abducted,” Ikoedem said.
Meanwhile, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has directed the Commissioner of Police to immediately launch a thorough investigation into the incident and ensure the safe rescue of the victim.

The governor also ordered security agencies to track down and arrest all those involved in the crime.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Patrick Ebojele, Governor Okpebholo condemned the abduction, describing it as unacceptable and a direct attack on innocent residents. He reiterated his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.

The governor urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies, stressing that timely information would aid ongoing operations. He assured the public that the state government would not relent until the perpetrators were apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law.

Caption: Security operatives investigate the scene of an abduction at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road, Benin City, where suspected gunmen reportedly seized a woman in broad daylight, prompting Governor Monday Okpebholo to order an immediate manhunt for the perpetrators.