Sunday Igboho Fumes as Kidnappers Kill Pregnant Woman, Ransom Bearer in Oyo

The worsening wave of violent crime across Oyo State has taken a grim turn with the reported killing of a pregnant woman allegedly abducted by suspected kidnappers, despite ongoing ransom negotiations. The incident, which has sparked outrage across the state, reportedly occurred in Igboho, Oorelope Local Government Area, where a pregnant woman, her children and a sibling were allegedly seized during a midnight raid by gunmen. According to reports, the abductors initially demanded N300 million for their release before reducing the ransom to N150 million. However, despite negotiations, the pregnant woman was allegedly killed alongside an individual who had taken ransom money to facilitate her release, while at least one victim remained in captivity.

The development triggered a furious reaction from Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, who accused the kidnappers of unleashing terror on residents of the community and vowed that such acts would no longer be tolerated in his ancestral home. Addressing Fulani leaders in Igboho in Yoruba, the activist expressed outrage over the killings and questioned how such an incident could occur in the town. “You can’t be kidnapping in my father’s land and expect me to keep quiet. I’m an original indigene of Igboho land,” he declared. “You kidnapped a pregnant woman, and the person who brought the ransom, you killed him and killed the pregnant woman, for what? In Igboho? You people are not even afraid of me in my father’s land?” he added. “This should be the last, and it must end. My father has urged me to address you patiently. What I’m fighting in other people’s land, you can’t come here and be doing it in my father’s land”.

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Questioning the pattern of abductions in the area, Igboho noted: “Since you have been kidnapping here, have they ever abducted Fulani? No, it’s the Yorubas they have been kidnapping, and it should not be like that. This should be the last, and let us stay in harmony”. Consequently, Igboho issued a two-hour ultimatum to Fulani leaders in Igboho, demanding the immediate release of the remaining victims. “I give you people two hours to release the woman, her children and her sibling who were kidnapped in the middle of the night. If I don’t see them within the next two hours, we will face each other,” he warned.

Igboho further claimed that investigations had traced the victims’ whereabouts to several locations linked to prominent individuals within the community. “When we first tracked that number, it led us to Alhaji’s residence and they removed them from there in the middle of the night to Bani’s compound. They took them to Baale’s compound, where they currently are,” he alleged. Rejecting any possibility of the victims’ family paying the ransom demanded by the abductors, Igboho insisted that Fulani residents should collectively shoulder the responsibility of securing the captives’ release. “We don’t have any ransom to pay. You Fulanis should raise that ransom among yourselves and pay because we don’t have such money to pay. They started from N300 million and brought it down to N150 million,” he declared. “Fulanis should contribute the ransom and get the woman, children and her sibling released. If they are killed, we will have a problem,” he warned.

Hours after the ultimatum elapsed, the victims regained their freedom, prompting celebrations across the town. Videos circulating on social media showed residents singing, dancing and rejoicing over the return of the victims. The victims, said to include a pregnant woman, her children and a sibling, were reportedly released after days in captivity. However, details surrounding the circumstances of their release remained unclear. The incident had heightened anxiety in Igboho and surrounding communities, where residents had expressed concern over recurring cases of kidnapping, killings and attacks. The abduction had generated widespread outrage after reports emerged that armed men invaded the family’s residence during a midnight raid. The development came amid growing concerns over insecurity in Oyo State, where residents have repeatedly raised the alarm over cases of abduction, killings and attacks on rural communities, prompting renewed calls for decisive action from security agencies.

Sunday Igboho Fumes as Kidnappers Kill Pregnant Woman, Ransom Bearer in Oyo

VIDEO: Jubilation as Kidnapped Family Is Freed After Sunday Igboho’s Two-Hour Ultimatum

Residents of Igboho in Oyo State erupted in celebration on Sunday after a kidnapped family, including a pregnant woman, her children and a sibling, reportedly regained their freedom hours after Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, issued a two-hour ultimatum demanding their release.

Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of residents singing, dancing and escorting the freed victims through the community, expressing relief after days of anxiety over the abduction.

Earlier on Sunday, Sunday Igboho met with suspected Fulani community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Igboho, where he condemned the rising cases of kidnapping and violent attacks in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.

In a viral video from the meeting, the activist accused some members of the Fulani community of involvement in kidnappings and recalled an incident in which a ransom bearer was allegedly killed despite delivering money to secure the release of abducted victims.

“The person who brought the ransom, you still killed him and spared only one person,” he said.

He maintained that he had remained calm out of respect for appeals by traditional rulers but warned that the incidents must not continue.

“I am Sunday Igboho. I am calm because my fathers asked me to be calm with you. Let this be the last time such a thing will happen,” he declared.

The activist subsequently gave a two-hour ultimatum for the release of all abducted victims and warned that failure to comply would attract decisive action.

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Hours after the ultimatum expired, fresh videos emerged showing residents celebrating the return of the kidnapped family.

The victims, reportedly comprising a pregnant woman, her children and a sibling, appeared unharmed as they were welcomed by excited members of the community.

Residents could be seen chanting songs of thanksgiving, dancing and praising God while accompanying the family through the town in scenes that quickly went viral across social media platforms.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigeria Police Force nor the Oyo State Police Command had issued an official statement confirming how the victims regained their freedom or whether the release was directly connected to Sunday Igboho’s ultimatum.

No arrests have also been announced in connection with the kidnapping.

The incident has once again highlighted growing concerns over kidnapping and insecurity in parts of Oyo State, particularly in the Oke-Ogun axis.

Residents have repeatedly called on security agencies to strengthen surveillance and intelligence gathering to tackle criminal activities in the region.

While many supporters have credited Sunday Igboho with influencing the release of the victims, there is currently no official evidence establishing a direct link between his ultimatum and the family’s freedom.

The viral videos, however, have continued to attract widespread attention, with many Nigerians expressing relief over the safe return of the abductees and urging authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

VIDEO: Jubilation as Kidnapped Family Is Freed After Sunday Igboho’s Two-Hour Ultimatum

Pregnant, Bleeding, and Still Forced to Work: The Unthinkable Ordeal of 7 Nigerian Teens

In a devastating betrayal of trust, seven young Nigerian women—most still teenagers—were lured across West African borders by friends and relatives with promises of legitimate jobs, only to be trapped in a brutal sex trafficking network where they were forced to service multiple men daily, even during pregnancy and menstruation.

For these seven young Nigerian women, most of whom are teenagers, the nightmare began not with strangers lurking in shadows, but with familiar faces—friends, relatives, and community members who presented themselves as trusted helpers offering a lifeline out of poverty. The recruiters claimed to have connections abroad who could secure decent jobs in boutiques, restaurants, salons, and homes. What awaited the young girls across the border, however, was a brutal reality of deception, coercion, and exploitation. Their rescue by the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organization (GAHTO) , working with authorities in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) , is more than a narrative of survival. It is a chilling reminder of how human traffickers increasingly rely on trusted agents, relatives, and acquaintances to lure vulnerable young people into modern-day slavery.

For 22-year-old Sunday Sofia, known in Mali as “Testie,” the trap was carefully laid. Working as a maid and sales assistant in a Lagos boutique for just ₦20,000 monthly, she dreamed of earning more to support her family and younger siblings. When a friend introduced her to what appeared to be a better opportunity, she saw hope. “It was one of my friends who told me she had secured another job for me,” Sofia recalled. “I accepted thinking it was a legitimate job. We were told we were going to work as housekeepers.” Instead, she found herself trapped in Mali, far from home and stripped of every right she once took for granted.

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Her story mirrors those of 17-year-old Blessing Samson, Esther Gyang, Odey Blessing, and others who were allegedly recruited through a network of agents who presented themselves as trusted helpers. Blessing said a man identified as Peter approached them in their hometown in Plateau State with what sounded like a life-changing opportunity. “He told us his sister had a business in Mali and needed people to work with her,” Blessing stated. The girls were promised jobs in boutiques, restaurants, and phone shops. They repeatedly sought assurances, suspicious of the too-good-to-be-true offer. “We asked him if it was really the work he told us we were going there to do. We even asked if it was hookup work. He said no,” recalled Odey Blessing, known as “Beauty.” 22-year-old Sandy Sophia, also from Plateau State, echoed this sentiment: “I asked countless times if it was prostitution, and they kept telling me it was not. It was only after we reached Burkina Faso that they finally admitted it was prostitution.”

The assurances were enough. They packed their bags, filled with hope and dreams of a better life. The moment they crossed the border, the dream died. Upon arrival in Mali, the girls were taken not to boutiques or restaurants but to bars where other young women greeted them with a phrase they did not understand at the time. “The following day, reality became impossible to ignore. They told us there was no boutique or phone plaza. They said it was prostitution,” Odey said. The girls cried. They pleaded. They begged. But they were told they had no choice.

One alleged trafficker reportedly informed them they owed 1.5 million CFA Francs each—approximately ₦4 million—and could only repay the debt through sex work. This tactic of debt bondage is a common tool used by trafficking networks to control their victims, creating a cycle of exploitation that seems impossible to escape. “They started starving us for three days. We had no option. What followed were weeks of exploitation. Some of us had to service multiple men daily while struggling to repay debts that seemed impossible to clear,” Odey recounted. According to Odey, there were no breaks—even during menstruation. “Even when we were having our menstrual cycle, we still had to sleep with men,” she said.

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Perhaps the most disturbing revelation from the rescue operation is how pregnancy became another layer of vulnerability rather than a shield from exploitation. 20-year-old Augusta Akoghamhen said the recruitment began through a relative of her father. The man allegedly assured the family that she would work as a domestic employee for foreigners and would travel by air. Because the information came through someone known to the family, suspicion never arose. “My father agreed because he believed the job was legitimate,” Augusta said. The journey eventually took more than a week by road. When they arrived, the promises vanished. “They didn’t even allow us rest from the stress of the travel. That same evening we were forced to start working. The work, I discovered, was prostitution. At the time, I was already pregnant. Unfortunately, pregnancy offered no protection,” she recalled. Augusta said she was beaten whenever she resisted working. “Anytime I refused to work because I was not feeling well, my boss attacked me. Despite being pregnant, I was expected to continue servicing clients while handing over virtually all earnings,” Augusta noted.

Elizabeth, another survivor who was trafficked alongside Augusta, experienced the same cruelty. “If they had told me it was prostitution, I would not have agreed to travel. My trafficker continued demanding work despite my advancing pregnancy. She said we would continue to work until we gave birth,” Elizabeth said. The dehumanization was complete when Elizabeth discovered she had become a commodity in a dispute between traffickers. “What shocked me most was discovering I had effectively become a commodity in a dispute between my boss, Osas, and her co-trafficker, Aisha. She refused and said except Aisha would buy me. I became a commodity for sale,” Elizabeth recounted.

Several of the girls recounted threats that they would go mad if they attempted to escape. Blessing remembered being warned repeatedly. “Our madam threatened that we would run mad if we refused to work or escape,” Blessing stated. The threats were designed to exploit cultural fears and keep victims psychologically trapped, demonstrating the sophisticated manipulation tactics employed by trafficking rings.

Despite the intimidation, the girls quietly began planning their escape. Ironically, one of the people who eventually helped rescue the girls was someone they knew from home. Sofia recalled meeting a man from their village who worked in Mali. “We knew him in our village before we travelled. He knows us and he knows our parents. When he discovered our situation, he promised to help,” she said. That intervention eventually connected the victims to GAHTO, setting in motion a rescue effort that would bring them back to Nigeria. For Augusta, the turning point came when she secretly reached out to her father in Nigeria. The message triggered a chain of events that eventually reached GAHTO and NAPTIP.

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GAHTO coordinated efforts leading to the rescue of Augusta and Elizabeth from Burkina Faso, after which they were received by NAPTIP’s Benin Zonal Command upon arrival in Nigeria. For the five girls rescued from Mali—Sunday Sofia, Blessing Samson, Esther Gyang, Odey Blessing, and Rose Pam—the intervention also brought an end to months of fear and uncertainty. Most returned home with little more than the clothes they were wearing. Some lost personal belongings; others worked for months without compensation. Yet all returned with something more valuable: freedom.

For Sofia, who spent two months in Mali, returning home felt like being given a second chance. “My greatest regret is travelling to Mali. I am happy to see myself in Nigeria. I won’t go back again,” Sofia declared. Today, she hopes to return to hairdressing and complete the apprenticeship she abandoned in pursuit of a better life. “I want to complete my hairdressing training. I was learning before I left, and I want to continue. I don’t want to experience that kind of life again,” she said.

These young women were not kidnapped by strangers lurking in dark corners. Many were recruited by people they knew: friends, relatives, neighbours, and trusted community members. The traffickers understood a painful truth: trust opens doors that force cannot. According to NAPTIP, human trafficking remains a major challenge in Nigeria. In 2025 alone, NAPTIP rescued over 370 Nigerian trafficking victims from countries including Ghana, Senegal, and other West African states, reflecting ongoing cross-border trafficking networks within the region. The agency also secured 93 convictions of human traffickers and intercepted more than 2,500 potential victims of trafficking both within Nigeria and across borders. The agency has noted that Edo and Delta States remain high-risk zones for human trafficking due to proximity to international borders and high migration pressure.

GAHTO’s founder, Prosper K.A. Michael, emphasized that poverty remains the primary driver of the crime: “When young people lack opportunities and parents are struggling, traffickers step in with false promises. We must tackle poverty and strengthen family bonds to protect our children.” The survivors’ stories exposed how false promises of jobs, education, and prosperity continue to lure vulnerable young Nigerians across borders into exploitation through recruitment by trusted connections, cross-border transportation, debt bondage, forced prostitution, psychological manipulation, and exploitation of vulnerability even during pregnancy and illness.

Anti-trafficking advocates and survivors themselves agree that meaningful change requires strengthening border controls to intercept trafficking networks, launching public awareness campaigns in high-risk communities, implementing economic empowerment programs to reduce vulnerability, ensuring stricter prosecution of traffickers including those who recruit through trusted networks, providing support services for survivors including counseling and job training, and offering community education to help families recognize recruitment tactics. Today, Sofia dreams of reopening her path to becoming a professional hairdresser. Others hope to return to school, rebuild their lives, and reunite with their families. For them, the journey home is a new beginning—and a powerful reminder that no promise of quick wealth is worth the price of freedom. Their stories are not just tales of survival. They are a call to action for governments, communities, and individuals to stand against human trafficking and protect the vulnerable among us.

Pregnant, Bleeding, and Still Forced to Work: The Unthinkable Ordeal of 7 Nigerian Teens