Edo Police Nab 55 Kidnappers, Rescue 58 Victims in Major Crackdown

The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika, has disclosed that the Edo State Police Command arrested 55 suspected kidnappers and rescued 58 kidnapped victims between March and May 2026 as part of an intensified crackdown on violent crimes across the state.

Agbonika made the disclosure on Tuesday while presenting the operational scorecard of the command during a press briefing held in Benin City, the Edo State capital. He said the achievements reflected the command’s renewed commitment to combating kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes threatening public safety in the state.

According to the police commissioner, the command also recorded significant breakthroughs in other areas of criminal activity during the period under review. He revealed that operatives arrested 15 suspected cultists, eight armed robbery suspects, 15 murder suspects, three individuals linked to unlawful possession of firearms, as well as 23 suspects connected to rape and defilement cases.

The CP explained that the command had adopted more advanced security strategies and modern technology to strengthen crime-fighting operations across Edo State, particularly in Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts where incidents of kidnapping and violent attacks had become a major concern.

He said the police intensified the deployment of drones, digital tracking systems, surveillance gadgets and intelligence-led operations to track criminal networks and dismantle kidnapping syndicates operating within the state.

Agbonika cited the recent rescue operation involving a woman identified as Ezighode Ebosele and her 14 year old son, Wisdom, as one of the command’s major successes. The victims were reportedly kidnapped on May 1, 2026, at Udoni Quarters in Irrua, located in Edo Central Senatorial District.

The police commissioner disclosed that operatives of the command, acting on credible intelligence, deployed aerial surveillance technology and technical intelligence tools to trace the kidnappers’ movements and location. He said the coordinated operation led to the successful rescue of the victims without injuries.

During the operation, the police also arrested the alleged kingpin of the kidnapping syndicate, identified as Yusuf Hassan, popularly known as “Dogo Yellow,” alongside nine other suspected gang members believed to be part of the criminal network.

Agbonika stated that investigations revealed that the gang operated a well-organised criminal structure with clearly assigned roles for members. According to him, the syndicate allegedly consisted of informants who monitored potential victims, food suppliers who provided logistics for kidnappers in forest hideouts, ransom negotiators responsible for communicating with victims’ families, and armed enforcers who carried out abductions and protected the camps.

He further revealed that the alleged kingpin was arrested at a criminal hideout located near Ubiaja. The hideout, he said, had since been demolished and confiscated by the Edo State Government in line with the provisions of the state’s anti-kidnapping law aimed at discouraging the use of properties for criminal activities.

The commissioner noted that the command’s recent achievements were also supported by the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), a specialised tactical unit created to respond swiftly to emerging security threats and violent crimes across the state.

According to him, the VCRU was established in compliance with directives issued by the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, as part of broader efforts to strengthen operational efficiency and improve security responses nationwide.

Agbonika reassured residents of Edo State that the police command would continue to intensify operations against criminal elements and sustain ongoing intelligence-driven strategies to ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.

He also urged members of the public to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could aid ongoing efforts to rid the state of kidnappers and other violent criminals.