The Edo State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its anti-kidnapping operations with the rescue of a 66-year-old man abducted by suspected kidnappers in Ibeakuma Forest, even as it intensifies investigation into a robbery attack on the residence of the Edo State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon. Kennedy Odion.
The rescued victim, identified as Mr. Obareki Emmanuel, regained his freedom on Sunday after a coordinated operation involving security agencies.
Emmanuel had been kidnapped alongside his wife, who was rescued unharmed two days earlier in a separate operation by security operatives.
Police said efforts to free the man continued after the first rescue, with intelligence officers and tactical teams sustaining surveillance and bush-combing operations to track the kidnappers.
The operation paid off when the suspects were located inside Ibeakuma Forest, where they had reportedly assembled to collect ransom from the victim’s family.
At about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, operatives drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Edo State Security Corps, 82 Mobile Police personnel and local vigilantes moved into the forest, successfully rescuing the victim without injuries.
The security team also recovered the ransom money during the operation.
The suspected kidnappers reportedly engaged the operatives before fleeing into the forest with gunshot wounds.
Police said a sustained manhunt is underway, with security personnel continuing to comb the forest in search of the fleeing suspects.
Meanwhile, the command has also begun investigation into a robbery attack that occurred at the Benin City residence of Hon. Kennedy Odion.
The incident, which occurred around 3 a.m. on Sunday at his residence off Winners Road, Uhie, was said to have left the robbers with four mobile phones, ₦500,000 cash, two Toyota Highlander vehicles and other valuables.
Following the attack, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, CP Patrick Daaor, visited the scene and directed detectives to ensure those behind the crime are identified and arrested.
The investigation has been handed over to the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), while forensic and investigative procedures have commenced.
The Edo State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to tackling violent crimes through intelligence-driven policing and collaboration with other security agencies.
The command assured residents that it would continue deploying every available resource to protect lives and property while ensuring criminal elements operating within the state are brought to justice.