Troops of the Nigerian army, in collaboration with the Edo State Security Corps, have killed a suspected notorious kidnapper, rescued four abducted victims, and arrested another suspect during separate operations in Edo State.
The raid took place under Operation IGBO DANU 1 in Warake Forest, Auchi Local Government Area, and Ujemen, Esan West Local Government Area.
Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, confirmed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the forces carried out a night operation on Tuesday in response to reports of gunshots in Warake Forest.
The statement read, “Troops during Operation IGBO DANU 1, working alongside personnel from the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and local vigilantes, carried out 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 with aggressive pursuit and minimum use of firearms.
“The gallant troops neutralized a notorious kidnapper that has been terrorizing Auchi and environs during the encounter. The superior firepower of troops forced the remaining criminals to abandon their victims and flee into the bush.”
The army stated that four kidnapped victims were rescued during the operation and later reunited with their families.
The statement added, “Four victims, including Stella Abbas (29), Tina Ododa (19), Razak Rashid (27), and Mutanibi Kalifa (16), were rescued unhurt and later reunited with their families.
“Items recovered from the neutralized kidnapper are a cash amount of six hundred and fifty thousand naira (N650,000) only, footwear, a power bank, and mobile phones.”
The army also disclosed that troops carried out another operation the same day in Ujemen, Esan West Local Government Area, where a suspected kidnapper was arrested.
“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 a kidnapper’s hideout.
“A 39-year-old suspect, Omogbegha Solomon, was arrested during the raid.
“During the operation, troops discovered a shrine containing charms and photographs of various 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,” the statement added.
Brig. -Gen. Ahmed Balogun, Commander of 4 Brigade, praised the troops’ achievements and encouraged them to step up operations against criminal elements in the state.
“The Commander of 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their dexterity and urged them to sustain the aggressive onslaught against all the criminal elements in line with directives from the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife,” the statement added.
Balogun reassured residents of the brigade’s commitment to protecting lives and property across Edo State.
