Army Troops Eliminate Notorious Kidnapper, Rescue Four Victims in Edo State Operations
Troops from the Nigerian Army's 4 Brigade under 2 Division, working alongside the Edo State Security Corps, have successfully neutralized a suspected notorious kidnapper, rescued four abducted victims, and arrested another suspect during separate security operations conducted in Edo State. Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for 4 Brigade Nigerian Army based in Benin City, officially disclosed these developments in a statement released on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
Operation IGBO DANU 1 in Warake Forest
The operations were executed under the framework of Operation IGBO DANU 1, targeting criminal activities in Warake Forest located within Auchi Local Government Area and Ujemen in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. According to the detailed statement, troops from 4 Brigade in collaboration with Edo State Security Corps neutralized a notorious kidnapper, rescued four individuals who had been kidnapped in Warake Forest, and arrested a suspected kidnapper in these separate operations.
During Operation IGBO DANU 1, troops worked in conjunction with personnel from the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and local vigilante groups to conduct a night operation on March 3, 2026, in Warake Forest, Auchi Local Government Area. The troops responded to gunshots heard in the forest during a night patrol by initiating an aggressive pursuit while exercising minimum use of firearms.
The gallant troops neutralized a notorious kidnapper who had been terrorizing Auchi and its surrounding environments during the encounter. The superior firepower displayed by the troops forced the remaining criminals to abandon their victims and flee into the dense bush. Four victims, including Stella Abbas (age 29), Tina Ododa (age 19), Razak Rashid (age 27), and Mutanibi Kalifa (age 16), were rescued unharmed and subsequently reunited with their families.
Items recovered from the neutralized kidnapper included a cash amount of Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (₦650,000) only, footwear, a power bank, and multiple mobile phones, which are now part of the evidence collected during the operation.
Separate Raid in Ujemen Leads to Arrest
In a separate operation also conducted on March 3, 2026, troops collaborated with the Edo State Security Corps to raid a house in Ujemen, Esan West Local Government Area, suspected to be a kidnapper's hideout. During this raid, a 39-year-old suspect identified as Omogbegha Solomon was apprehended. The operation led to the discovery of a shrine containing various charms and photographs of different individuals in an abandoned room within the compound.
The shrine was destroyed in-situ, and the suspect was handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Ekpoma Division for further investigation and potential prosecution. This coordinated effort highlights the ongoing commitment to dismantling criminal networks operating within the state.
Commendation and Reassurance from Military Leadership
The Commander of 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their dexterity and professionalism during these operations. He urged them to sustain the aggressive onslaught against all criminal elements in alignment with directives from the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife.
Brigadier General Balogun further reassured the residents of Edo State of the Brigade's unwavering commitment towards the protection of lives and property across the state. These operations demonstrate the effectiveness of collaborative security measures involving the Nigerian Army, state security corps, and local vigilantes in combating kidnapping and other criminal activities in Edo State.
