A controversy has emerged regarding the freedom of 16-year-old twins, Emmanuel and Emmanuella, who were abducted in Edo State.
While the Edo State Police Command claimed that a rescue team successfully rescued the teenagers, the victims’ family disputed that their release was secured after a ransom was made. They claimed that the suspects initially demanded a ransom of ₦100 million.
The abduction occurred on December 11, 2025, during a home invasion that resulted in the death of the father of the children.
The victim’s father, Andrew Ilabeshi, died from injuries sustained during the attack when gunmen stormed his residence in Kalabar Quarters.
The brother of the deceased, Okhale Ilabeshi, maintains that no rescue took place. He stated that the family followed the kidnappers’ instructions to a specific location to retrieve the children only after the financial demands were met.
The twins were not rescued. We paid ransom to the kidnappers. Nobody rescued them. After the ransom was paid, the kidnappers asked us to go to a location, and the twins were found there. The community has been strengthening the vigilante, but that has not been enough. We need the assistance of the state and federal governments to curb kidnappings – Okhale Ilabeshi
The twins are currently recovering from exhaustion and the psychological impact of learning about their father’s death after their release.
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