Kidnappers in Delta State have killed a man after receiving a ransom payment for his release. The victim was abducted alongside his wife in Oghara Kingdom, Ethiope West Local Government Area. According to reports, his wife later managed to escape captivity.
Farmer killed, family abducted on farm
In a separate incident, armed attackers ambushed a farmer named Vincent Adojor while he was working on his farm with his wife and child around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, June 29, 2026. The assailants killed Adojor and abducted his wife and child.
The Oghara Study Group (OSG), a civil advocacy organization in the community, confirmed both incidents during a press conference held in Warri on Thursday, July 2, 2026. Addressing journalists on behalf of OSG, co-conveners Rev. David Ugolor and Prof. Ogheneruonah Eghweree lamented the deteriorating security situation in Oghara and its environs, citing an increasing wave of banditry, kidnappings, and killings.
Victims killed even after ransom payments
“Victims are increasingly being murdered even after ransom payments, while poor families are left helpless and devastated,” the OSG added. According to the group, residents live in fear as kidnappers, armed gangs, and cult groups continue to attack communities, farms, and major roads without adequate intervention.
The latest abduction of a husband and wife has heightened fear among residents and strengthened calls for urgent intervention by the Federal Government, Delta State Government, and Ethiope West Local Government Council. “The increasing insecurity has turned life into a nightmare for many families, particularly the poor and less privileged who are unable to raise the huge ransom payments demanded by kidnappers. In several cases, victims were killed before any rescue could be carried out, while others were murdered even after ransom had been paid, leaving families to mourn their loved ones and suffer severe financial hardship,” the group stated.
