Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THE Edo State Police Command has announced the arrest of two men suspected of being part of a kidnapping syndicate, alongside foiling another attempted abduction along a major state highway.
In a statement issued on 3rd February 2025 and released to the press today in Benin City, the Command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, detailed the operations.
The first breakthrough came on 28th January 2026, when operatives from the Igarra Area Command arrested the suspects—35-year-old Muhammed Muamadu Haru and 25-year-old Abubakar Muhammed Haruna. They were apprehended at approximately 1:30 pm at a known criminal vantage point along the Auchi-Igarra Highway.
According to the statement, a member of a local vigilante group identified the duo as part of a kidnapping gang during a previous joint bush-combing and rescue mission that involved an exchange of gunfire. Recognised by the vigilante, the suspects attempted to flee into nearby bushland but were swiftly intercepted and detained.
In a separate but related incident, a convoy of police motorcycle patrol teams from the same Igarra Area Command successfully disrupted a kidnapping in progress. The intervention occurred on Monday, 2nd February 2026, at about 5:00 pm along the Auchi-Igarra Express Road.
The patrol team intercepted three suspected kidnappers who were preparing to block the road. After a vigorous chase, the suspects escaped into the forest, abandoning a cache of items believed to be logistics for their criminal operation. The recovered materials included food supplies, mobile phones, jackknives, and other personal effects. A sustained bush-combing operation is ongoing in the area to apprehend the fleeing individuals.
The Commissioner of Police for Edo State, CP Monday Agbonika, commended the officers involved for their vigilance and professionalism. He reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to purging the state of criminal elements.
The police spokesperson urged the public to remain alert and to promptly report any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or via established emergency channels.
