Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in Edo State have arrested three suspected kidnappers, including a foreign national, while another suspect was killed during a gun battle with security operatives.
The arrests were confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem.
According to Ikoedem, the operations followed intensified security deployment ordered by the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, after reports of increasing kidnapping activities in parts of Edo Central.
She explained that the police boss personally supervised a strategic security operation in the area between February 16 and February 22, 2026, during which security personnel assessed the situation and strengthened policing strategies.
“The Commissioner of Police conducted on-the-spot security assessments, restrategised operational approaches and repositioned personnel for more effective policing,” she said.
The police spokesperson noted that forests around Ubiaja were identified as major hideouts for criminal groups and were subsequently placed under close surveillance.
One of the major arrests occurred on February 17 when police operatives from the Ubiaja Division apprehended a suspected kidnapper identified as Suleman Harruna, a 28-year-old national of the Niger Republic who resides in Kaba, Kogi State.
Ikoedem said the suspect had earlier been declared wanted and was recognised by members of the Hausa/Fulani community as a member of a notorious kidnapping gang.
“The suspect has made useful confessions and is assisting the police with ongoing investigations,” she stated.
In another operation carried out on February 20, police officers working with personnel of the Nigerian Army arrested another suspect, Ibrahim Kodo, 25, from Illushi community.
She explained that the suspect was identified by a victim as one of the armed men who abducted him from his farm on June 2, 2025.
Similarly, on February 26, police operatives arrested another suspect, Orsee Iorzaa, 32, during a surveillance operation in Illushi community.
“A victim of kidnapping identified the suspect as part of a five-man gang that invaded his residence with firearms and abducted him on February 21, 2026,” Ikoedem said.
In a separate development on March 7, security operatives conducted a bush-combing exercise in the Onogholọ and Akwocha forests in collaboration with members of the Edo State Security Corps.
According to the police, four suspected kidnappers opened fire on the advancing security team, resulting in a gun duel.
“One of the suspects was neutralised during the exchange of gunfire, while three others fled the scene with gunshot wounds,” the police spokesperson said.
She added that security operatives recovered a single-barrel shotgun, a black face mask, two live cartridges and two expended cartridges from the location.
Ikoedem stated that search operations were ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects and dismantle the remaining members of the criminal syndicate.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police commended officers of the Ubiaja Division for their dedication and professionalism in combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.
The police command also urged residents to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could assist ongoing efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
