The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a suspected kidnapper and the recovery of the body of one of the abducted victims, while efforts continue to track down other members of the criminal gang.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on June 3, 2026, by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem.
It was gathered that on May 9, 2026, three women — Mrs. Favour Nosakhare (66), Mrs. Emmanuel Annabel Osasere (28), and Miss Rejoice Otikpere (26) — were kidnapped by armed men who stormed their residence in Iyowa Community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State. The attackers reportedly whisked them into a nearby forest.
In the days that followed, the abductors contacted the victims’ families via video call, during which the women were seen being brutalised while ransom demands were made. The development triggered heightened concern within the community and prompted intensified rescue operations by the police.
According to the statement, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), in collaboration with the Police Drone Unit, launched coordinated land and aerial surveillance across forests and suspected hideouts within Ovia North-East and neighbouring areas.
On May 19, 2026, the operatives reportedly located the kidnappers along a powerline inside a forest, leading to a gun battle. The suspects were said to have been overpowered by superior firepower and fled into the bush with gunshot injuries. Items recovered from the scene included a blood-stained jacket and expended AK-47 ammunition, while search operations were further intensified.
Following sustained intelligence-led tracking, one suspect, Musa Haruna, 23, who sustained gunshot injuries, was arrested. He is believed to be part of a kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate operating along the Benin-Lagos and Old Benin-Akure road corridors.
During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime and led operatives to a forest in Ogwa Community, also in Ovia North-East LGA, where two decomposing bodies were recovered on June 2, 2026. One of the bodies has been identified by relatives as that of Mrs. Favour Nosakhare, one of the victims abducted on May 9.
The Command stated that investigation is ongoing, with intensified tactical and intelligence-driven operations aimed at arresting other fleeing members of the syndicate.
The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, commended the operatives of the VCRU and the Police Drone Unit for their professionalism, resilience, and commitment, which led to the breakthrough.
He further assured residents that the Command remains fully committed to public safety and will not relent until all members of the gang are arrested and brought to justice, urging the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies.