Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade, working alongside other security agencies, have arrested 13 suspected kidnappers and drug peddlers during coordinated clearance operations across communities in Edo North Senatorial District, the Army has said.
The operations, conducted on February 4, 2026, targeted Osara community in Etsako West Local Government Area, as well as Auchi and Okpella, under a mission codenamed Operation IGBO DANU 1, according to a statement by the Army.
The troops operated in collaboration 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, with the aim of flushing out kidnappers, terrorists and other criminal elements, while rescuing possible victims.
During the operation, eight suspects were arrested. They 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 included one English-made pump-action gun, four live cartridges, and one locally fabricated pistol. Other items seized 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 weighing scales, and quantities of substances suspected to be cannabis sativa, tramadol, ice, loud and colos. A total sum of ₦87,550 was also recovered.
In a related operation, troops of 4 Brigade, in conjunction with the Edo State Police Command, also carried out a sweep of the Aviele Forest in Etsako West Local Government Area.
During the forest raid, five additional suspected kidnappers — Isiaka Abubakar (37), Mohammad Abubakar (25), Yusuf Abubakar (24), Mohammed Somu (20), and Isiaka Ibrahim (30) — were arrested. Recovered items included two motorcycles, two Android phones, and a power bank.
All suspects and recovered items have been handed over to the Edo State Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.
Speaking after the operations, the Commander, 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the synergy among the participating security agencies, describing the operation as a success.
Balogun warned that Edo State would be made untenable for kidnappers, terrorists and other criminal elements, reaffirming the Brigade’s commitment to protecting lives and property in the state. He also expressed appreciation to the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, for his strategic guidance and support.
The statement was signed by Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, on February 5, 2026.
