The Edo Police Command has arrested six suspected kidnappers following a coordinated overnight raid on a forest hideout in Etsako East Local Government Area of the state.
A statement on Thursday said the operation, carried out in the early hours of Tuesday, February 3, 2026, took place inside the Agbede Forest and was executed by a joint team of security operatives led by the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, Monday Agbonika.x
“A thorough sweep of the camp resulted in the arrest of six suspects,” the Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Command, Enokoi Ikioye.
According to him, the police said the suspects are being profiled and are undergoing intensive investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Benin City, ahead of prosecution.
Ikioye said the move was “part of ongoing joint clearance operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating within the state’s forests.”
Explaining how the operation was done, the police authorities said it followed “actionable intelligence provided by a kidnap victim who was able to identify the exact forest camp where he had been held.”
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Acting on the lead, a joint force comprising personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Edo State Security Corps, and local hunters advanced into the forest under the cover of darkness.
“The joint team drove for approximately three (3) hours until the end of the last accessible motorable road. From that point, the operatives advanced on foot, navigating dense forest paths and crossing three (3) locally constructed wooden bridges to reach the identified camp.
“The silent advance, which lasted close to two (2) additional hours, ensured tactical surprise and prevented any compromise of the mission. Upon arrival at the location at about 3:45 a.m., the area was swiftly cordoned off in a well-coordinated encirclement, effectively cutting off all escape routes.
Meanwhile, commending the personnel involved, the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, described the operation as a clear message to criminal elements, praising the courage, discipline, and inter-agency collaboration displayed during the raid.
Agbonika reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to take the fight against organised crime to “the most remote locations” and warned that forests in Edo State would no longer serve as safe havens for criminals.
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