Troops of 4 Brigade, 2 Division Nigerian Army, have neutralised a notorious kidnapper and rescued four kidnapped victims in Edo State. The operation, codenamed IGBO DANU 1, was carried out in collaboration with Edo State Security Corps, Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and local vigilantes on March 3, 2026.
During a night patrol in Warake Forest, Auchi Local Government Area, troops responded to gunshots and neutralised the kidnapper with minimum use of firearms. Four victims – Stella Abbas (29), Tina Ododa (19), Razak Rashid (27), and Mutanibi Kalifa (16) – were rescued unhurt and reunited with their families.
Items recovered from the neutralised kidnapper include ₦650,000, footwear, a power bank, and mobile phones. In a separate operation, troops arrested Omogbegha Solomon (39), a suspected kidnapper, at Ujemen, Esan West Local Government Area. A shrine with charms and photographs of various individuals was discovered and destroyed.
Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, Commander 4 Brigade, commended the troops for their dexterity and urged them to sustain the aggressive onslaught against criminal elements. He reassured Edo State residents of the Brigade’s commitment to protecting lives and property, aligning with directives from Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, General Officer Commanding 2 Division.
The suspect is being held by the Nigeria Police Force Ekpoma Division for further investigation.
