By Nkechi Eze
Troops of 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, in a joint operation with personnel of the Nigerian Air Force, Edo State Police Command, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Edo State Security Corps, have recorded major operational successes against kidnapping and criminal networks in Edo North Senatorial District of Edo State.
The coordinated operations, conducted on 4 February 2026 under the code name Operation IGBO DANU 1, were aimed at neutralising terrorists, flushing out kidnappers and rescuing victims across Osara Community in Etsako West Local Government Area, as well as Auchi and Okpella communities.
In an official statement signed by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, it was disclosed that troops raided identified criminal hideouts during the operation, leading to the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers and illicit drug peddlers.
The arrested suspects were identified as Jamilu Mohammad (25), Kasim Abu (33), Braimoh Affeez (31), Sulaiman Hamisu (36), Lawan Umaru (25), Bawa Auwal (24), Musa Umaru (40) and Amodu Attai (50).
Items recovered from the suspects include one English automatic pump-action gun, four live cartridges and one locally fabricated pistol. Also recovered were a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, two cutlasses, a Nikon digital camera, two Android phones, a metal hook, five bottles of codeine syrup, two Indian hemp weighing scales, and quantities of substances suspected to be cannabis sativa, tramadol, ice, loud and colos. The sum of ₦87,550 was also recovered during the operation.
The suspects and all recovered exhibits were subsequently handed over to the Edo State Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.
In a related operation, troops of 4 Brigade, working in conjunction with personnel of the Edo State Police Command, also combed the Aviele Forest in Etsako West Local Government Area to flush out suspected terrorists and kidnappers hiding in the area.
During the forest raid, five additional suspected kidnappers identified as Isiaka Abubakar (37), Mohammad Abubakar (25), Yusuf Abubakar (24), Mohammed Somu (20) and Isiaka Ibrahim (30) were arrested.
Recovered from the suspects were two motorcycles, two Android phones and a power bank. These suspects and items were equally handed over to the police for further investigation.
The Commander 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, who personally led the operations, commended the swift response of the troops and the strong inter-agency collaboration that contributed to the successes recorded.
He warned that Edo State would be made completely hostile for terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal elements, stressing that they would find no safe haven to carry out their nefarious activities.
Brigadier General Balogun reaffirmed the Brigade’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state and expressed appreciation to the General Officer Commanding 2 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, for his strategic guidance and continuous support.
