The Edo State Government’s intensified crackdown on kidnapping and other violent crimes has recorded another breakthrough, with the state Police Command rescuing 11 persons abducted by suspected kidnappers in Iyahmo, Etsako East Local Government Area, and arresting two men for allegedly staging a fake kidnapping to extort ₦4 million from relatives.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikioedem, disclosed this in separate statements issued last weekend in Benin.
According to the command, the victims were kidnapped on June 25 while working on their farms at Ogbido Community, Iyahmo.
ASP Ikioedem said operatives of the Iyahmo Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer and supported by local vigilantes and hunters, launched a rescue operation immediately after receiving a distress call.
She said the rescue team engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to abandon the captives and flee into the forest.
“The victims were taken to the hospital for examination and have since been reunited with their families. Meanwhile, efforts are on top gear to apprehend the fleeing suspects”, she said.
In a related development, the command also said operatives of the Igarra Division arrested two suspects, Lucky Alabi, 48, and Taiye Enahoro, 37, both of Uneme Akpama Community, for allegedly masterminding a fake kidnap plot.
According to the police, investigations revealed that Enahoro allegedly contacted Alabi’s relatives by telephone, falsely claimed that Alabi had been kidnapped and demanded a ₦4m ransom for his release.
“The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that on 26th June, 2026, at about 1030hrs, operatives of Igarra Division arrested two suspects, Lucky Alabi ‘M’, 48 years, and Taiye Enahoro ‘M’, 37 years, both of Uneme Akpama Community, for conspiring to stage the fake kidnapping of Lucky Alabi.
“…preliminary investigation reveals that the criminal plan was executed on 23rd June, 2026, when Taiye Enahoro allegedly placed several telephone calls to relatives of Lucky Alabi, falsely claiming that Alabi had been kidnapped and demanding the sum of Four Million Naira (₦4,000,000) as ransom for his release”, it stated.
The command said intelligence gathering exposed the alleged deception, leading to the arrest of the two suspects, who confessed to their roles.
It added that the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
ASP Ikoedem further noted that the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the police operatives, local vigilantes and hunters for the successful rescue operation and warned residents against engaging in criminal deception, including staging kidnappings for financial gain.