Nigeria: Edo Police Kill Three Suspected Kidnappers, Rescue Kidnapped Victim

A farmer's tip helped security operatives track down suspected kidnappers in Edo, rescuing an abducted man and leaving three suspects dead after a gun battle.

The Nigeria Police Force in Edo State says it has rescued a kidnapped man and killed three suspected kidnappers during a joint security operation in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.

The operation, conducted at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, followed the abduction of the victim, identified as Michael Akano, on 9 October, according to a statement issued by the command's spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, an assistant superintendent of police on its Facebook page on Sunday.

The police said the operation was carried out in the Geo Works bushes and forest bordering Otuo, following credible intelligence and technical support.

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The joint team comprised police operatives from Igarra Division, personnel of the Nigerian Army's 195 Battalion, operatives of the State Security Service, local hunters and members of the Edo State Security Corps.

"During the operation, three suspected members of the kidnapping gang were neutralised in a gun duel while others escaped with gunshot wounds," the statement said.

The police said Mr Akano was rescued unhurt and taken to a hospital for medical attention.

The statement said security operatives recovered three locally fabricated single-barrel shotguns, eight live cartridges, five expended cartridges, two cutlasses and five mobile phones of different brands from the scene.

The bodies of the three suspected kidnappers were deposited at the General Hospital mortuary in Igarra for autopsy, the police said.

According to the statement, a bush-combing operation was ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.

The statement said the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Patrick Daaor, commended the joint security team for its swift response and collaboration, saying the command would sustain intelligence-led operations to deny criminal groups safe havens across the state.

He called on residents to provide timely and credible information to security agencies, assuring them that actionable intelligence would be treated urgently.

In May, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Command arrested 55 kidnap suspects and rescued 58 victims. In March, the newspaper reported that 87 suspected kidnappers were arrested while 30 victims were rescued.