Troops Arrest Six Suspected Kidnappers, Recover Ransom Phone in Edo Forest Raid
By Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation MESA, working in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force, the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) and local vigilantes, have arrested six suspected kidnappers during a coordinated offensive operation on a notorious criminal hideout in Edo State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was carried out at about 7:00 a.m. on June 27 by troops of the 4 Brigade deployed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Sobe.
According to the sources, the joint security team launched the intelligence-driven operation into the Nifon Forest in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, following reports that the area was being used as a hideout by kidnapping syndicates terrorising residents and motorists.
During the operation, six suspected kidnappers were apprehended without resistance, while security operatives recovered one locally fabricated Dane gun, two cartridges and several mobile phones.
Military sources disclosed that a preliminary forensic examination of one of the recovered mobile phones revealed the telephone number allegedly used by the gang to demand ransom from victims’ relatives, further strengthening the case against the suspects.
The suspects, along with the recovered exhibits, have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for comprehensive investigation and prosecution.
Security sources said the operation forms part of sustained joint efforts by security agencies to dismantle kidnapping networks operating in the forests of Edo State and improve safety for residents and commuters.
They added that intelligence exploitation is ongoing to identify other members of the criminal syndicate and uncover additional hideouts linked to kidnapping activities within the state.
