Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade under the 2 Division, working with operatives of the Edo State Security Corps, have neutralised a suspected notorious kidnapper, rescued four abducted victims and arrested another suspect during coordinated operations in Edo State.
The operations, carried out under Operation IGBO DANU 1, took place in Warake Forest in Auchi Local Government Area and Ujemen in Esan West Local Government Area.
Naija News reports that details of the operation were disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu.
According to the Army, troops launched a night operation on Tuesday after receiving reports of gunshots from the Warake Forest axis.
Anyanwu explained that the soldiers, working with personnel of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and local vigilantes, moved swiftly to confront the suspected criminals.
The statement read, “Troops during Operation IGBO DANU 1 working alongside personnel from the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and local vigilantes carried out a night operation on March 3, 2026 in Warake Forest, Auchi Local Government Area.
“The troops responded to gunshots heard in the forest during a night patrol with aggressive pursuit and minimum use of firearms.”
He added that the troops successfully neutralised one of the suspected kidnappers who had reportedly been terrorising residents in Auchi and neighbouring communities.
“The gallant troops neutralised a notorious kidnapper that has been terrorising Auchi and environs during the encounter. The superior firepower of troops forced the remaining criminals to abandon their victims and flee into the bush,” the statement added.
During the operation, soldiers rescued four kidnapped victims who were later reunited with their families.
The Army identified the victims as Stella Abbas (29), Tina Ododa (19), Razak Rashid (27) and Mutanibi Kalifa (16).
Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade under the 2 Division, working with operatives of the Edo State Security Corps, have neutralised a suspected notorious kidnapper, rescued four abducted victims and arrested another suspect during coordinated operations in Edo State.
The operations, carried out under Operation IGBO DANU 1, took place in Warake Forest in Auchi Local Government Area and Ujemen in Esan West Local Government Area.
Naija News reports that details of the operation were disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu.
According to the Army, troops launched a night operation on Tuesday after receiving reports of gunshots from the Warake Forest axis.
Anyanwu explained that the soldiers, working with personnel of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and local vigilantes, moved swiftly to confront the suspected criminals.
The statement read, “Troops during Operation IGBO DANU 1 working alongside personnel from the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and local vigilantes carried out a night operation on March 3, 2026 in Warake Forest, Auchi Local Government Area.
“The troops responded to gunshots heard in the forest during a night patrol with aggressive pursuit and minimum use of firearms.”
He added that the troops successfully neutralised one of the suspected kidnappers who had reportedly been terrorising residents in Auchi and neighbouring communities.
“The gallant troops neutralised a notorious kidnapper that has been terrorising Auchi and environs during the encounter. The superior firepower of troops forced the remaining criminals to abandon their victims and flee into the bush,” the statement added.
During the operation, soldiers rescued four kidnapped victims who were later reunited with their families.
The Army identified the victims as Stella Abbas (29), Tina Ododa (19), Razak Rashid (27) and Mutanibi Kalifa (16).
“Four victims, including Stella Abbas (29), Tina Ododa (19), Razak Rashid (27) and Mutanibi Kalifa (16), were rescued unhurt and later reunited with their families,” the statement said.
Items recovered from the neutralised suspect included ₦650,000 in cash, footwear, a power bank and mobile phones.
In a related operation carried out on the same day, troops raided a building suspected to be a kidnapper’s hideout in Ujemen, Esan West Local Government Area.
According to the Army, the operation led to the arrest of a 39-year-old suspect identified as Omogbegha Solomon.
“In a separate operation on March 3, 2026, troops in collaboration with the Edo State Security Corps raided a house in Ujemen, Esan West Local Government Area suspected to be a kidnapper’s hideout.
“A 39-year-old suspect, Omogbegha Solomon, was arrested during the raid,” the statement said.
The Army also disclosed that troops discovered a shrine believed to be linked to criminal activities inside an abandoned room in the compound.
“During the operation, troops discovered a shrine containing charms and photographs of various individuals in an abandoned room within the compound. The shrine was destroyed in-situ, and the suspect was handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Ekpoma Division for further investigation,” the statement added.
Reacting to the successful operations, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the soldiers for their professionalism and commitment to tackling criminal activities in the state.
“The Commander 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their dexterity and urged them to sustain the aggressive onslaught against all the criminal elements in line with directives from the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife,” the statement said.
Balogun also reassured residents of Edo State that the brigade remains committed to protecting lives and property while intensifying operations against kidnappers and other criminal elements operating in the state.
(Naija News)
