Two brothers, identified as Isaac and Victor Olayere, who were kidnapped on November 8 along Adughe and Imoga Road have miraculously escaped from kidnappers’ den.
The two brothers were taken into the bush as soon as they were kidnapped, throwing Uma/Imoga community into confusion, as the kidnappers demanded N22 million ransom.
While the community was still at a loss over how to raise the ransom, the victims called their father with an unknown number, telling him they had escaped from the kidnappers den. 
The Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, Oba Patrick Obajoye revealed this during a telephone interview.
He called on the authorities to come to the rescue of Imoga, a town he said, shares border with Ondo and Kogi, thereby making it prone to kidnapping activities.
He said, “The two brothers were kidnapped on November 8 along Adughe and Imoga Road and were taken into the bush.
“Later, the kidnappers reached out to the family and demanded a ransom of N22 million, throwing the ancient community of Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo Local Government Area, Edo State.
“I swiftly reported the incident to the Ibillo Police Station with the hope that the rescue effort will lead to the release of the brothers.
“It was said that somehow, the kidnappers suddenly went into a deep slumber in the forest, enabling their victims to escape. They were found by the vigilante of Adughe, a neighbouring community in Kogi that speaks the same Okpameri language with Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo.
“The vigilantes called Imoga people and the youth mobilised and entered the forest, but they could not see the kidnappers who had woken up after their captives had escaped and fled.
He noted that the activities of kidnappers and armed herders have become a major problem in the community, urging the authorities to create a police post in the area.
He added, “We need police presence in Imoga. If a police post is created here, the officers will patrol the community which will give the resident rest of mind.
“Imoga is the largest village in Akoko Edo, particularly in terms of land mass, into which many herders have entered en masse. It is the link between Edo State and the northern part of the country.”
