Title: Gunmen Kill Edo Palace Chief, Abduct Two Daughters as Police Launch Manhunt Date Published: 26 February 2026 Description: Gunmen have killed a senior palace chief in Iduah Kingdom, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo, and abducted his two daughters in a late-night attack that has thrown the community into mourning.The victim, Chief Jimah Ogboi, a high-ranking traditional title holder in the Iduah Kingdom, was shot dead on Monday night when armed men stormed his residence. His wife was reportedly brutalised with machetes and other weapons and left critically injured.One of the deceased’s sons, Lucky Ogboi, said he had stepped out briefly to purchase an item when the attackers struck. He said he was alerted by neighbours and rushed home to find his father dead and his mother in severe condition.Community sources said the assailants abducted the chief’s two daughters during the attack, prompting elders of the community to convene an emergency meeting to explore ways of securing their release and addressing the rising insecurity in the area.The traditional ruler of the community, Alhaji Amedu Momoh, appealed to the Edo State government and security agencies to urgently intervene and reinforce security.“About four gunmen went to the house of one of our chiefs. They shot him and went away with two of his daughters,” Momoh said. “The police and other security agencies have visited the community since the incident, but we need stronger and sustained security presence.”He added that residents were increasingly worried about recurring attacks, including assaults on farmlands allegedly linked to suspected herdsmen, noting that the renewed violence had shattered the relative calm previously enjoyed in the area.The Edo State Police Command confirmed the incident. The Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said investigations had commenced.She disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, alongside other senior officers, had moved to Ekpoma in Edo Central Senatorial District to coordinate efforts aimed at halting further attacks.“I can confirm the incident. The Commissioner of Police and other top officers are already on ground, and an investigation has been launched into the killing and abduction,” Ikoedem said.Meanwhile, in a related development highlighting the broader security challenge across the country, three herders were killed on Thursday by gunmen along the Dorowa–Jong Road in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.The chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Plateau State, Ibrahim Babayo, said the victims were ambushed while returning home to Jong community after attending Qur’an Tafsir in Dorowa community around 7:30 p.m.Security agencies are yet to issue an official statement on the Plateau incident as investigations continue. Attached Images: 4eda0ce855ee2c36ba53f6402929cca462191c22445d68327bf3e9029024c1ce.png Attached Video: None