Joint Security Forces Nab 13 Suspected Kidnappers in Edo North

Troops of 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force, Edo State Police Command, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Edo State Security Corps, on 4 February 2026, conducted a clearance operation, codenamed Operation IGBO DANU 1, across parts of Edo North Senatorial District, leading to the arrest of 13 suspected kidnappers and illicit drug peddlers.

The coordinated operation targeted criminal hideouts in Osara Community, Etsako West Local Government Area, as well as Auchi and Okpella Communities, with the aim of neutralising criminal elements, flushing out kidnappers, and rescuing potential victims.

During the operation, eight suspects were arrested and identified as Jamilu Mohammad (25), Kasim Abu (33), Braimoh Affeez (31), Sulaiman Hamisu (36), Lawan Umaru (25), Bawa Auwal (24), Musa Umaru (40), and Amodu Attai (50). Recovered from the suspects were one English pump-action gun, four live cartridges, and one locally made pistol.

Other items seized include a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, two cutlasses, a Nikon digital camera, two Android phones, a metal hook, five bottles of codeine syrup, two weighing scales, and quantities of substances suspected to be cannabis sativa, tramadol, ice, loud, and colos. A cash sum of ₦87,550 was also recovered. The suspects and recovered items were handed over to the Edo State Police Command for further investigation.

In a related development, troops of 4 Brigade, in conjunction with the Edo State Police Command, also carried out a combing operation in Aviele Forest, Etsako West Local Government Area, aimed at flushing out suspected kidnappers and terrorists.

During the forest raid, five suspected kidnappers identified as Isiaka Abubakar (37), Mohammed Abubakar (25), Yusuf Abubakar (24), Mohammed Somu (20), and Isiaka Ibrahim (30) were arrested. Items recovered include two motorcycles, two Android phones, and a power bank. The suspects and exhibits were equally handed over to the police for further investigation.

The Commander, 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, who led the operations, commended the swift response and effective collaboration among the participating security agencies. He warned that Edo State will not be a safe haven for terrorists, kidnappers, or other criminal elements, reaffirming the Brigade’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state.

He also expressed appreciation to the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, for his strategic guidance and support.