WOMAN ∆BDUCTED AT POPULAR MARKET IN BENIN CITY

WOMAN ABDUCTED AT POPULAR MARKET IN BENIN CITY

EDO STATE, NIGERIA — A woman was reportedly abducted by armed men on Sunday at the popular Vegetable Market along Airport Road in Benin City, Edo State, in a disturbing incident that has heightened concerns over insecurity in the state.

According to reports, the victim had visited the market with her husband and children after attending church service when the gunmen stormed the area and whisked her away.

A witness who claimed to have been at the scene recounted the incident in a video circulating online, describing it as the first kidnapping she had personally witnessed.

The witness said the abduction occurred in broad daylight at the busy market and lamented the growing insecurity in Benin City. She also disclosed that she helped rescue the victim’s children during the chaos and sustained minor injuries in the process.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said the police were aware of the abduction and had commenced investigations.

According to the police, the victim, her husband and their children were shopping at the market when the incident occurred.

The police spokesperson stated that details regarding the motive behind the abduction could not yet be disclosed as investigations were ongoing. She added that the victim’s husband and other family members were cooperating with investigators.

Ikoedem further clarified that the police were treating the case as an abduction, noting that there was no information yet indicating that the perpetrators had contacted the family to demand ransom.

Security operatives have since launched efforts to track down the suspects and secure the safe release of the victim.

The incident has sparked fresh concerns among residents over public safety and the increasing threat posed by criminal elements operating within and around Benin City.

Investigations are ongoing.

Credit X IBN News