Troops neutralize notorious kidnapper, rescue victims and arrest suspect in Edo operation

Troops neutralize notorious kidnapper, rescue victims and arrest suspect in Edo operation

Troops of the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Edo State Security Corps, have neutralized a notorious kidnapper, rescued four persons who were abducted in Warake forest and arrested a suspected kidnapper in separate operations in Edo State.

Troops under Operation IGBO DANU 1, working together with personnel of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and local vigilantes, carried out a night operation on 3 March 2026 in Warake Forest, Auchi Local Government Area.

To shots heard in the forest during a night patrol, troops responded with aggressive pursuits and minimal use of firearms. The gallant troops neutralized a notorious kidnapper who terrorized Auchi and its surroundings during the encounter. The troops’ superior firepower forced the remaining criminals to abandon their victims and flee into the bush. Four victims, including Stella Abbas (29 years old), Tina Ododa (19 years old), Razak Rashid (27 years old) and Mutanibi Kalifa (16 years old), were rescued unharmed and later reunited with their families. The items recovered from the neutralized kidnapper are only cash amount of six hundred and fifty thousand naira (No. 650,000), footwear, power banks and mobile phones.

In a separate operation on March 3, 2026, troops in collaboration with the Edo State Security Corps, raided a house in Ujemen, Esan West Local Government Area, suspected to be the hideout of a kidnapper.

A 39-year-old suspect, Omogbegha Solomon, was arrested during the raid. During the operation, troops discovered a shrine containing pendants and photographs of various individuals in an abandoned room within the compound. The shrine was destroyed on the spot and the suspect was handed over to the Ekpoma Division of the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation.

The Commander of the 4th Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their dexterity and urged them to sustain the aggressive assault against all criminal elements in line with the directives of the General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife. He further reassured residents of Edo State of the Brigade’s commitment towards the protection of lives and properties in the State.