BENIN CITY – A deepening controversy has emerged surrounding the release of Emmanuel and Emmanuella Ilabeshi, the twin teenagers abducted last month in Edo State, as their family vehemently denies police claims of a tactical rescue operation.
The twins were kidnapped in December 2025 during a violent attack in Etsako East Local Government Area. The incident resulted in the tragic death of their father, Mr. Andrew Ilabeshi, and left their mother with gunshot injuries.
While the Edo State Police Command officially announced on Tuesday that the teenagers were rescued unhurt by a joint team of security operatives, the Ilabeshi family has come forward to dispute this narrative.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City on Wednesday, a representative of the family, Mr. Okhale Ilabeshi, stated categorically that no security agencies were involved in the release of the children. He alleged that the family was forced to pay a ransom of ₦100 million to secure the freedom of the teenagers.
“We want to set the record straight. There was no rescue operation by the police or any security agency,” Okhale stated. “After weeks of anguish and negotiation, we rallied around to raise the ₦100 million demanded by the kidnappers. We took the money to them, and they directed us to where we picked up the children.”
The family expressed disappointment with the official police statement, noting that it creates a false sense of security while victims continue to pay heavily for their freedom.
The police have yet to issue a counter-statement regarding the ransom claim. Meanwhile, the twins have been reunited with their recovering mother, though the family has requested privacy as they mourn the loss of their father and process the trauma of the last few weeks.
