Police Rescue Nine Kidnap Victims in Edo

The Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, has rescued nine victims from two separate kidnapping incidents in Edo State.

The victims include five passengers of a GUO Transport bus abducted along the Benin–Lagos Expressway, as well as four residents of Imeakabu/Itsukwi communities who were held captive in the Imiegba forest in Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Benin City.

Ikoedem said all five victims from the GUO bus incident and the four others held in the forest were rescued unhurt following coordinated security operations.

According to her, the rescue was made possible through the immediate deployment of tactical teams, intelligence assets, aerial surveillance, and other operational resources by the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, to the affected areas.

“The Edo State Police Command is pleased to inform the general public that all victims abducted during the recent kidnapping incident along the Benin–Lagos Expressway have been successfully rescued alive,” the statement said.

She added that sustained rescue efforts, including bush-combing operations and strategic domination of the area, forced the kidnappers to abandon the victims.

The victims, she noted, have since received medical evaluation and treatment and have been reunited with their families.

In a related development, the command confirmed the successful rescue of four other kidnapped victims who had been held in captivity in the Imiegba forest.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police reassured residents and commuters that security deployment along the Benin–Lagos Expressway and surrounding communities has been strengthened.

Agbonika said tactical, intelligence, and operational assets have been fully activated across the axis and would remain in place until the route is safe for all users.

He added that efforts are ongoing to apprehend those responsible, expressing confidence that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.