Momoh Umar Momoh, Benin
The Edo State Police Command says it has rescued 37 kidnapped victims in the last month.
Among the rescued victims was the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Esan West Local Government chairman, Hon Andrew Ikhajiengbe.
The PDP Chieftain was abducted by gunmen on Tuesday, 5 May 2025, on his way to the farm in Emu forest in the locality
He was said to be going to the farm with some Hausa boys, whom he hired their services when the gunmen suddenly came out from the bush and abducted him.
The State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, who briefed the press on his achievements in the last month in office, said the victim was rescued unhurt.
Agbonika, said the 37 victims were rescued in a daring operations which involved technical intelligence.
He also disclosed that 112 suspects were arrested for alleged involvement in cultism, kidnapping and armed robbery.
He said 95 suspects were arrested for cultism, 12 for kidnapping and five for armed robbery.
The Commissioner of Police also disclosed that 25 firearms including two Ak-47 rifles, 130 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 135 live cartridges as well as four stolen/robbed vehicles were recovered from the suspects.
He gave the breakdown of the recovered items as two AK-47 rifles, one Lar Mark rifle, three English pistols, four single barrel guns and one automatic pump action shotgun.
Also recovered are eight locally- made pistols, one locally -made Pistols, one locally made shotgun, one Beretta pistol magazine and 110 rounds of ammunition, 34 live cartridges.
Others are one Mercedes Benz GLK 300, One Toyota hilux, one Toyota Highlander, one Hijet mini bus, two
snatched-motorcycles, one dagger, one trigger part, one iphone 16 Plus and N100,000.
The Commissioner, however, added that most of the cases have been charged to court while investigations are ongoing in some.