Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The family of Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen, the 90-year-old father of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) senatorial candidate for Edo South, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, has raised the alarm over his alleged abduction in Benin City, Edo State.
Pa Joseph was reportedly taken from his residence at about 4am on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, by armed men who allegedly identified themselves as officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to family sources cited by Osun Defender, the men arrived at the elderly man’s residence in the early hours of Tuesday and took him away to an undisclosed location.
The circumstances surrounding the incident, including why the elderly man was taken and where he was taken to, remained unclear at the time of reporting.
The family has reportedly been seeking clarification from the relevant authorities and demanded information on Pa Joseph’s whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his removal from his residence.
The incident has attracted particular attention because of Pa Joseph’s age and his relationship with Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, who emerged as the ADC candidate for Edo South ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, the Edo State Government has presented a different account of the incident.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, the government described Pa Joseph’s case as an abduction by unknown gunmen.
The government condemned the incident and said Governor Monday Okpebholo had directed security agencies to intensify operations and work together to secure the elderly man’s release.
According to the government, the governor directed the deployment of every lawful resource towards rescuing Pa Joseph and reuniting him with his family within 24 hours.
The government also urged members of the public to avoid politicising the incident or making unsubstantiated allegations of government involvement, arguing that such claims could distract security agencies from efforts to secure the victim’s safe release.
It assured the family that security agencies were being mobilised to locate the elderly man and apprehend those responsible.
The development comes amid continuing concerns over kidnapping and other violent crimes in Edo State. The Edo State Police Command said in September that it had arrested 13 suspected kidnappers and rescued nine victims across the state during August.
Police authorities had also reported the arrest of suspected members of a kidnapping network operating around the Auchi–Okene axis following an earlier abduction in Edo.
For the Iduoriyekemwen family, however, the immediate concern remains the whereabouts and safety of Pa Joseph.
As of Tuesday, there was no publicly available confirmation from the Edo State Police Command establishing that police officers carried out the operation alleged by the family.
The conflicting accounts have therefore left unanswered questions over who took the 90-year-old man and under what circumstances.
The family is calling for urgent clarification and the safe return of Pa Joseph, while the state government says security agencies have been directed to secure his release and bring those responsible to justice.
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