Army Troops Kill Notorious Kidnapper,Free 4 Hostages in Edo Bush Raid

BENIN CITY—Troops from the 4 Brigade, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, alongside the Edo State Security Corps and local vigilantes, have dealt a major blow to kidnappers in Edo State. In coordinated strikes under Operation Igbo Danu 1, they eliminated a dreaded gang leader terrorizing Auchi and nearby areas, freed four unharmed victims from Warake Forest, and nabbed a suspect hiding in Esan West.

The first operation unfolded late on March 3, 2026, in Warake Forest, Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area. Responding swiftly to gunfire during a night patrol, soldiers from the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers joined the fray. With precise engagement and restrained firepower, they neutralized the kidnap kingpin, forcing his accomplices to scatter into the thick bush, abandoning their captives.

The rescued victims—Stella Abbas (29), Tina Ododa (19), Razak Rashid (27), and Mutanibi Kalifa (16)—were reunited with their families shortly after. From the fallen criminal, troops recovered ₦650,000 in cash, footwear, a power bank, and mobile phones. This success builds on Operation Igbo Danu 1’s momentum, a specialized Army initiative targeting banditry in forested regions, which has yielded similar victories across southern Nigeria since early 2026.

In a linked raid the same day, troops and Edo Security Corps stormed a suspected kidnappers’ den in Ujemen, Esan West LGA. They arrested 39-year-old Omogbegha Solomon and uncovered a shrine in an abandoned room, stocked with charms and photos of potential targets. The shrine was dismantled on site, and Solomon was transferred to Ekpoma Police Division for interrogation.

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Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, 4 Brigade Commander, praised the troops’ “dexterity and professionalism” in a statement. “Sustain this aggressive posture against criminals, per directives from Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, GOC 2 Division,” he ordered, reaffirming the brigade’s pledge to safeguard Edo residents’ lives and property amid escalating insecurity.

These operations highlight the Nigerian Army’s renewed push against kidnapping syndicates, which have plagued Edo’s forests, snatching dozens in recent months per police records.