The wife and son of a prominent Kwara petrol dealer, Alhaji Abass, popularly known as Daniyan Saba, have escaped from their abductors, bringing a dramatic twist to a case that has gripped communities across Edu Local Government Area.

The pair were seized in the Ndeji community, under the Lafiagi Emirate, when gunmen invaded the area in the early hours of a Saturday. Residents said the attackers shot sporadically into the air, sending families fleeing for safety as the assailants forced their way into the businessman’s residence and whisked away his wife and child.

The abduction came only months after Alhaji Abass himself was kidnapped and held in a bandits’ camp for more than a month. He and his manager, Mallam Abubakar Issa, were eventually freed after relatives and associates reportedly raised a ransom of N105 million for their release, underscoring the growing reach and audacity of kidnap gangs operating in the area.

Sources in Edu Local Government said tension rose sharply following the latest incident, with community members fearing that the family was being deliberately targeted by criminal networks that have turned highways, farmlands and riverine routes into corridors of abduction.

Relief came when the woman and her son were later found in the Oreke community, after what security volunteers described as a desperate escape attempt by the captives while their abductors tried to move them out of Kwara State.

The vigilante commander in Gbugbu, Gina Muhammad, confirmed that the victims regained their freedom as the kidnappers attempted to cross towards the Kogi axis, a route frequently cited by security analysts as a major transit path for armed gangs.

According to Muhammad, the circumstances suggest the victims took advantage of a moment of confusion or lax guard to flee into nearby bush paths before making contact with locals who alerted security volunteers. He added that it remained unclear whether any ransom had been paid before the escape or whether pressure from security patrols forced the kidnappers to lose control of their captives.

The incident has renewed calls from residents and community leaders for stronger security presence, better intelligence sharing and coordinated operations between Kwara and neighbouring states to stem the tide of rural banditry and kidnapping that has left many communities living in fear.