Troops of the Nigerian Army, operating under 4 Brigade and in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force, Edo State Police Command, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Edo State Security Corps, have arrested 13 suspected kidnappers during a coordinated clearance operation in Edo State.
The operation, codenamed Operation IGBO DANU 1, was carried out on February 4, 2026, across Osara Community in Etsako West Local Government Area, as well as Auchi and Okpella communities in Edo North Senatorial District. The exercise was aimed at flushing out terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal elements operating in the area.
During the operation, eight suspects were arrested for alleged involvement in kidnapping and illicit drug peddling. Items recovered from them included a pump-action gun, a locally made pistol, live cartridges, a Point-of-Sale machine, cutlasses, a digital camera, mobile phones, suspected hard drugs, weighing scales, and the sum of ₦87,550. The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Edo State Police Command for further investigation.
In a related development, troops of 4 Brigade, working with the Edo State Police Command, also combed the Aviele Forest in Etsako West Local Government Area. The operation led to the arrest of five additional suspected kidnappers, along with the recovery of two motorcycles, Android phones and a power bank.
Confirming the operations, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, said the coordinated raids were part of sustained efforts to dismantle criminal networks and restore security across Edo State.
The Commander of 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, who led the operations, commended the swift inter-agency collaboration and warned that Edo State would remain hostile terrain for terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal elements. He reaffirmed the Brigade’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, while also thanking the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, for his strategic guidance and support.
Security agencies urged residents to continue providing timely intelligence to aid ongoing operations against criminal activities in the state.
