Tension has engulfed Ubuneke-Ivbiaro, a community in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, following a brutal attack by armed men that left a woman dead and her husband abducted.
According to reports, the assailants stormed the home of Mr. Arimazoya Abona around 8:00 p.m., fatally shooting his wife in the neck before forcefully taking him into the nearby forest.
A resident who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday said the couple’s neighbours, alarmed by the sound of gunfire, rushed to the scene only to discover the woman lying motionless in front of the house, soaked in blood.
The source disclosed that the attackers had already taken Abona, a man believed to be in his 70s, before help could arrive. The incident reportedly took place on May 18.
“In a desperate attempt to rescue the abducted man, community youths mobilised and pursued the gunmen into the forest, but their efforts yielded no success.
“Security agencies swiftly responded, with personnel of the Nigeria Police from Afuze Divisional Headquarters and the Nigerian Army visiting the crime scene.
The woman’s body has since been deposited in a morgue,” the source said.
It was gathered that the kidnappers have since contacted the victim’s family, demanding a ransom of N100 million for his release.
Confirming the attack, the Edo State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Moses Yamu, stated that two individuals have been apprehended in connection with the incident.