Troops from the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade, part of the 2 Division, in conjunction with the Edo State Security Corps, have successfully eliminated a suspected notorious kidnapper and rescued four victims who had been abducted during separate operations in Edo State.
This announcement was made by Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations at the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, based in Benin City, in a statement released on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
The operations were executed as part of Operation IGBO DANU 1, covering areas in Warake Forest, Auchi Local Government Area, and Ujemen in Esan West Local Government Area.
According to the statement, "The troops from the 4 Brigade, in partnership with the Edo State Security Corps, have neutralised a notorious kidnapper, rescued four individuals kidnapped in Warake Forest, and apprehended another suspect during various operations in Edo State."
On March 3, 2026, the troops, in collaboration with personnel from the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and local vigilantes, conducted a night operation in Warake Forest, Auchi Local Government Area.
The troops reacted to gunfire encountered during the night patrol, opting for an aggressive pursuit with minimal firearm usage.
"During the confrontation, the brave troops successfully eliminated a notorious kidnapper who had been instilling fear in Auchi and its surroundings."
The superior firepower utilized by the troops compelled the remaining assailants to abandon their captives and flee into the surrounding wilderness.
Among the rescued individuals were Stella Abbas (29 years), Tina Ododa (19 years), Razak Rashid (27 years), and Mutanibi Kalifa (16 years), who were unharmed and subsequently reunited with their families.
From the neutralised kidnapper, the troops recovered cash amounting to Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (#650,000), along with footwear, a power bank, and mobile phones.
In a separate operation on the same day, troops and the Edo State Security Corps executed a raid on a suspected kidnapper's hideout in Ujemen, Esan West Local Government Area.
During this raid, a 39-year-old individual named Omogbegha Solomon was taken into custody. The troops also discovered a shrine containing charms and photographs of various people in an abandoned room on the property.
“The shrine was dealt with in-situ, and the suspect was handed over to the Nigeria Police Force at the Ekpoma Division for further examination,” the statement confirmed.
Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, praised the troops for their skill and urged them to continue their robust offensive against criminal elements, as mandated by the General Officer Commanding the 2 Division, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife.
He expressed reassurance to the residents of Edo State regarding the Brigade's dedication to preserving lives and properties within the region.
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