The Edo State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper linked to the abduction of three women in Iyowa Community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, and recovered the body of one of the victims.
The victims, Mrs. Favour Nosakhare, 66, Mrs. Emmanuel Annabel Osasere, 28, and Miss Rejoice Otikpere, 26, were kidnapped on May 9, 2026, when armed men invaded their residence and took them into a nearby forest.
According to the Police, the kidnappers later contacted the victims’ families through a video call, during which the women were seen being tortured while ransom was demanded for their release.
The Command said operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), working with the Police Drone Unit, launched extensive rescue operations and aerial surveillance across forests and suspected criminal hideouts in Ovia North-East and neighbouring communities.
On May 19, operatives reportedly traced and confronted the gang along a powerline route within the forest. The suspects engaged the police in a gun battle but fled with gunshot injuries after being overwhelmed. A blood-stained jacket and spent AK-47 ammunition were recovered from the scene.
Further investigation led to the arrest of a 23-year-old suspect, Musa Haruna, who was found with a gunshot wound. Police described him as a member of a notorious kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate operating along the Benin-Lagos Road and Old Benin-Akure Road corridors.
During interrogation, Haruna allegedly confessed to participating in the crime and guided operatives to a forest in Ogwa Community, where two decomposing bodies were recovered on June 2, 2026.
One of the bodies was identified by family members as Mrs. Favour Nosakhare, one of the women abducted during the May 9 incident.
The Police said efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining victims and apprehend other members of the syndicate who remain at large.
Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the VCRU and Drone Unit for their professionalism and determination, describing the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in the state.
He also urged residents to continue providing credible information to security agencies, assuring that the Command remains committed to bringing all members of the criminal gang to justice.