Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted the pregnant wife of a prominent traditional chief in the Agbede area of Edo State, Mutairu Kabiru Igene, well known as Amari.

It was gathered that Igene and his pregnant wife, Mujanetu Kabiru Igene, were harvesting yams on their farm when the latter was kidnapped by the bandits.

The gunmen were said to have attempted to abduct the couple on the farm last Wednesday, February 28, but the husband valiantly resisted the assailants with severe injuries in the process.

Left wounded and unconscious, the chief was discovered in the bush the following morning and rushed to a private hospital, where he has since been undergoing treatment.

His pregnant wife, on the other hand, remains in captivity.

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Meanwhile, a coalition of civil rights organisations has urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure the swift release of Mujanetu.

The coalition, in a petition to the IGP signed by Adeleye Taiwo, called on the police to deploy a specialised team to rescue the pregnant wife of the prominent chief and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“The pregnant woman is naturally in a state of vulnerability and weakness. Being abducted and forced to trek for several kilometres in the wilderness with her husband hospitalised is the epitome of cruelty. We urge you to prioritise the release of the chief and his wife,” the coalition noted.

It added that incidents of kidnapping in the Agbede region have reached a critical level, prompting many to abandon ancestral farmlands, which threatens food security and livelihood.

The coalition further warned that failure to promptly release the chief’s wife could lead to protests and outrage in the community.

The Star