Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
RESIDENTS of Edo North are beginning to breathe easier following a decisive military operation that has dismantled key kidnapping syndicates operating across forests and highways in the region.
In a coordinated security offensive code-named Operation IGBO DANU 1, troops of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army carried out a large-scale “clean sweep” of notorious criminal hideouts in Auchi, Okpella, Osara and surrounding communities, dealing a heavy blow to kidnapping and armed robbery networks.
The operation, conducted on 4 February 2026, was led by the Commander of 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, and involved a joint task force comprising personnel of the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Edo State Security Corps.
Security sources said the operation was intelligence-driven and targeted forest camps long used by criminals to plan and execute kidnappings, particularly along the Auchi–Okpella axis, a route that has remained a source of fear for travellers.
At the end of the operation, 13 suspected kidnappers were arrested and subsequently paraded by the Army. Those apprehended include members of two major criminal cells operating in the Osara, Auchi and Okpella areas, as well as a separate gang believed to be using the Aviele Forest as a base.
Among the suspects arrested were Jamilu Mohammad, Kasim Abu and Braimoh Affeez, alongside several others linked to kidnappings and armed attacks in the area. Another group, identified as the Aviele Forest gang, included suspects such as Isiaka Abubakar and Yusuf Abubakar.
During the raids, troops recovered a cache of weapons and items believed to have been used in carrying out criminal activities. These include pump-action shotguns, locally fabricated pistols and live ammunition. Also recovered were a Point of Sale (POS) machine, suspected to have been used to process ransom payments, Android mobile phones and cash.
In addition, security operatives seized quantities of illicit drugs, including codeine, cannabis, tramadol and other hard substances, believed to have been consumed by the suspects before and during their operations.
Addressing journalists after the operation, Brigadier General Balogun issued a stern warning to criminal elements still lurking within Edo State.
“Edo State will be untenable for kidnappers and criminal gangs. We are flushing them out, forest by forest and community by community,” he said.
The Brigade Commander also commended the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, for providing strategic guidance and operational support that contributed to the success of the mission.
Security analysts say the operation marks a significant turning point in efforts to restore confidence and safety along major roads in Edo North, particularly the Auchi–Okpella corridor, which has witnessed repeated kidnapping incidents in recent years.
Residents have welcomed the development, describing the operation as a reassurance that security agencies are working in synergy to reclaim communities from criminal elements.
Authorities have urged members of the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious movements and activities, as the Army has vowed to sustain the momentum until criminal networks in the area are completely dismantled.
