A 22-year-old trader, Aisha Wahab, regained her freedom on Saturday after two harrowing weeks in captivity, but her release has reignited criticism of Edo State authorities, with human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu accusing the government of failing to support a coordinated rescue effort.

Wahab was abducted at Igbira Camp in Auchi and reportedly forced to trek with her captors to Okpella, where she was eventually released following a ₦20 million ransom payment. Gwamnishu, founder of the Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation, said his organization contributed ₦5 million to the family’s ₦15 million share of the ransom.

In a social media statement, Gwamnishu expressed frustration, claiming that despite tracking the kidnappers’ movements, his team was unable to act due to a lack of cooperation from state security agencies. “We couldn’t move in to capture her abductors because the Edo government and security forces repeatedly failed to respond to our calls for collaboration,” he wrote.

The foundation said it had the tools and intelligence needed for an intervention but was blocked by bureaucratic delays. “There are several proven ways to capture these kidnappers,” Gwamnishu added, noting that his team has since withdrawn to a state with more responsive authorities. He called for “immediate government intervention, coordinated field operations, and full law enforcement backing—lives are at stake.”

Edo State Police spokesperson DSP Chidi Nwabuzor confirmed that investigations are ongoing but declined to comment on the alleged lack of collaboration.

The incident mirrors a previous case involving Wahab, who was also released after a ₦20 million ransom. It underscores the persistent insecurity along the Benin-Sobe-Akure corridor, where over 50 abductions have been recorded this year despite the July launch of Operation Thunder, which deployed 200 additional patrol officers.

Gwamnishu thanked Nigerians for their financial support and urged stronger partnerships between citizens and security agencies. “We can’t keep normalizing ransom payments,” he said.