Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Residents of Tsaragi in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State have been thrown into fresh fear following the abduction of individuals who went to deliver ransom money to bandits holding kidnapped victims captive. The abductors, instead of releasing those held, seized the men who brought the money and are now demanding an additional ₦7 million ransom for their release. The incident has plunged the community into deeper despair, as residents struggle to raise the new sum while still reeling from the trauma of the original abduction.
According to community sources who spoke to Stone Reporters News, the victims who went to deliver the initial ransom have now been taken into the forest. The bandits have also issued a fresh ultimatum, raising fears of further violence or death if their new demand is not met. The development, which occurred on Thursday, May 28, 2026, has further heightened tensions in a local government area already overwhelmed by recurring attacks. Edu LGA has become one of the most volatile parts of Kwara State, with residents reporting a surge in kidnappings, killings, and forced displacement throughout 2026. In the past month alone, bandits have attacked multiple communities in Edu, including Ndeji, Gbugbu, and Lataworo, as well as Tsaragi itself, where armed men killed a resident identified as YabaNna Yahaya in a midnight assault on May 9.
The abduction of the ransom deliverers in Tsaragi follows a similar pattern of betrayal and treachery that has characterised kidnapping operations across Kwara North. In a previous incident in October 2025, a businessman, Suleiman Ndana, popularly known as “Manager,” was abducted from Tsaragi and released only after his family reportedly paid a staggering N110 million ransom. In another incident, in August 2025, in the Babanla community of Kwara State, a father identified as Issa Hakeem, who delivered N5 million ransom to secure the release of his abducted relatives, was himself seized by the same bandits, who then demanded an additional N10 million for his release.
The Tsaragi community has repeatedly called on the Kwara State Government and security agencies to intensify patrols and flush out criminal elements hiding in the dense forests around the area. The Kwara State Police Command has not yet issued an official statement on the latest abduction, and no rescue operation has been confirmed as of the time of this report. As the deadline for the fresh ₦7 million ransom approaches, the families of the abducted victims are once again faced with an impossible choice. With no official rescue in sight and no guarantee that paying the ransom will secure the release of their loved ones, the people of Tsaragi watch and wait in anguish, uncertain of when — or if — the nightmare will ever end.
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