Residents of Kalabar Quarters in Afokpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, were thrown into shock and grief following a deadly overnight attack that left a man dead but ended with the dramatic rescue of his abducted twin children.
The victim, identified as Ilabeshi Okhale, was reportedly killed when gunmen suspected to be kidnappers stormed his residence in the quiet community, an incident that has once again drawn attention to the growing insecurity in rural parts of the state.
According to sources familiar with the incident, the attackers gained entry into Okhale’s home under the cover of darkness, deliberately cutting off power supply by switching off his generator to lure him outside.
When the deceased reportedly stepped out to check why the generator had gone off, he was ambushed by the assailants and brutally attacked with machetes, sustaining fatal injuries.
In the chaos that followed, the gunmen abducted Okhale’s twin children, Emmanuel and Emmanuella, both aged 16, dragging them into the nearby bush before fleeing the scene.
The killing sparked panic across Afokpella, as residents feared the incident marked another wave of coordinated kidnappings that have plagued several Edo communities in recent months.
Sources said the kidnappers later contacted the family, demanding a ransom of N100 million for the release of the twins, a figure that heightened anxiety and underscored the commercial motive behind the crime.
However, the incident took a different turn following a swift and coordinated response by security agencies after the matter was reported to the authorities.
Confirming the development, the Edo State Police Command said a joint security operation was immediately launched to track the abductors and rescue the victims.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, disclosed that operatives stormed the area upon receiving the distress call and rushed the injured man to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead.
She said the deceased’s body has since been deposited in a morgue for autopsy, while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack continue.
Ikoedem explained that a combined team comprising the police, the Nigerian Army, Edo State Security Corps, local hunters, and vigilante groups carried out intensive bush combing across the area.
The operation, she said, led to the successful rescue of the abducted twins without injuries, and they have since been reunited with their family.
While the rescue brought relief to the community, residents say the killing of Okhale has left deep scars, as security agencies intensify efforts to track down and apprehend those responsible for the deadly attack.
