Renowned Nigerian activist, real estate critic, and social media influencer Scott Iguma has issued a desperate public cry for help following the brazen daylight abduction of his uncle in Edo State, highlighting the escalating wave of insecurity plaguing the nation. In a heart-wrenching video shared across his social media platforms on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Iguma, visibly distraught and fighting back tears, recounted the harrowing details of the attack that has left his family in anguish and exposed the apparent indifference of local law enforcement.
The incident unfolded around midday in Oluku, a bustling town in the Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, when Iguma's uncle—a respected community elder and businessman—was ambushed by a gang of armed assailants while returning from a routine errand. Eyewitnesses described the kidnappers as heavily armed men in a black SUV who dragged the victim from his vehicle, beat him severely in full view of passersby, and sped off toward the outskirts of Benin City. The family received a chilling call from the abductors shortly after, during which the uncle—his voice feeble and slurred from injuries—begged for his life before the line went dead.
“You see this insecurity that we have been talking about; if it has not come to your doorstep, you will not understand what is going on in this country. We’re totally surrounded,” Iguma said in the video, his voice cracking with raw emotion. “My uncle has been kidnapped in broad daylight in Edo State. They are demanding ransom of N50 million, and if we don’t pay, they will kill him. I am calling on Governor Godwin Obaseki, President Bola Tinubu—please, help us. This is not just my family’s pain; it is Nigeria’s shame.”
The kidnappers initially demanded a staggering N100 million but reduced it to N50 million after a tense negotiation via phone, sources close to the family revealed. A brief audio clip leaked to media outlets captured the uncle's labored pleas, underscoring the brutality of the assault: he had been pistol-whipped and sustained possible fractures to his ribs and jaw, according to a family physician who examined him remotely via description. The 62-year-old victim, whose identity is being withheld for safety, is a father of five and a pillar in the Oluku community, known for his philanthropy and support of local youth initiatives.
Iguma, who rose to prominence through his fearless exposés on Nigeria's real estate sector—particularly his vocal criticisms of the Property and Housing Watch Association of Nigeria (PWAN)—reported the kidnapping immediately to the Ekiadolor Divisional Police Station in Benin City. However, he lambasted the authorities for their inaction, claiming that over 48 hours later, no rescue operation or meaningful investigation has been launched. “We reported it promptly, but the police are doing nothing. No patrols, no intelligence gathering—just excuses. How can this be? Edo is sinking, and no one cares,” Iguma fumed, echoing sentiments from residents who described Oluku as a “kidnapping hotspot” amid a surge in abductions linked to economic desperation and porous borders.
The activist's plea has resonated deeply, amassing over 1.2 million views on X (formerly Twitter) within hours and sparking the hashtag #SaveScottIgumaUncle, which trended nationwide. Fellow influencers and celebrities, including human rights advocate Segun Awosanya (@segalink) and comedian Mr. Macaroni, amplified the call, with Awosanya stating: “This is the face of systemic failure. Scott's story is every Nigerian's nightmare. @PoliceNG, @GovEdo—your silence is complicity.” Civil society groups like the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have since petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, demanding a swift response, while Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the incident as “yet another symptom of a security apparatus in collapse.”
Iguma, reflecting on his own brushes with danger—including a controversial 2025 arrest over his PWAN critiques that led to brief detention and public outcry—drew a poignant parallel: “I’ve faced threats before, but this? This is personal. It’s a wake-up call that activism alone isn’t enough when the state abandons its people. My family is pooling every resource we have, but N50 million is a death sentence for most Nigerians. We need our leaders to act now, before another family is torn apart.”
As the clock ticks, the Iguma family clings to hope amid fear, with relatives mounting a 24/7 vigil and negotiating cautiously with the abductors. Community leaders in Oluku have organized prayer sessions, and a GoFundMe campaign launched by supporters has raised over N2.5 million in under a day toward the ransom, though Iguma emphasized that official intervention remains paramount.
This tragedy adds to Nigeria's grim tally: over 3,500 kidnappings reported in 2025 alone, per data from the National Bureau of Statistics, with Edo State emerging as a flashpoint alongside Zamfara and Kaduna. Iguma's outcry serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of inaction, urging a national recommitment to safety and justice.
“Nigeria has finally happened to me. My uncle has been kidn@pped in a Broad daylight in Edo State. They are demanding ransom of N50 million, and if we don’t pay, they will k!ll him.”💔😥
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) November 25, 2025
–Scott Iguma cries out, calling on the Edo State Governor and President Tinubu for help pic.twitter.com/tQQeR4kmKz
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