Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised a notorious suspected kidnapper and rescued four abducted victims during a night operation in Warake Forest in Etsako West Local Government Area.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday in Benin City by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Kennedy Anyanwu.
Anyanwu said the operation was conducted under Operation IGBO DANU 1 by troops of the brigade under the 2 Division Nigerian Army in collaboration with the Edo Security Corps and local vigilantes.
According to him, on March 3, troops on night patrol in the forest heard gunshots and immediately moved to confront the criminals. During the engagement, the troops overpowered the gang members, forcing them to abandon their captives and flee the area.
“The troops responded to the gunshots heard in the forest with aggressive pursuit and minimum use of firearms, and neutralised a notorious kidnapper that has been terrorising Auchi and environs.”
He said the four victims, identified as Stella Abbas, 29; Tina Ododa, 19; Razak Rashid, 27; and Mutanibi Kalifa, 16, were rescued unhurt and subsequently reunited with their families.
Anyanwu added that troops recovered N650,000 in cash, footwear, a power bank and mobile phones from the neutralised suspect during the operation.
In a related development, the army spokesman said troops arrested a suspected kidnapper during a separate operation in Ujemen community.
He explained that troops, working with the Edo Security Corps, raided a house believed to be a kidnapper’s hideout where a 39-year-old suspect, Omogbegha Solomon, was apprehended.
According to him, security operatives discovered a shrine containing charms and photographs of various individuals in an abandoned room within the compound during the raid.
“The shrine was destroyed on-site, while the suspect was handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Ekpoma Division, for further investigation,” Anyanwu said.
The Commander of the 4 Brigade, Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their professionalism and urged them to sustain the offensive against criminal elements.
Balogun also reassured residents of Edo State of the army’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
