Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a 28-year-old Nigerien identified as Suleman Harruna and two others for alleged involvement in kidnapping.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said the suspects were apprehended with the support of the Nigerian Army and the Edo State Security Corps.
Ikoedem said the suspects were arrested in Illushi and Ubiaja in Esan South-East Local Government Area.
She explained that Harruna, who had earlier been placed on the command’s wanted list, was apprehended during a security operation in the area.
According to her, the suspect was arrested by operatives of the Ubiaja Division on February 17, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m. through technical intelligence.
The police spokesperson added that some victims later identified the suspects as members of a kidnapping gang responsible for attacks in the area.
Ikoedem said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Monday Agbonika, personally led a strategic security deployment to Edo Central following reports of increased kidnapping incidents in surrounding communities.
She noted that the commissioner spent six days in the area, from February 16 to 22, conducting on-the-spot security assessments, reviewing operational strategies and redeploying personnel to improve policing.
During the operation, forests around Ubiaja were identified as key security concern areas and were placed under intensified surveillance.
“One of such breakthroughs occurred on February 17, 2026 at about 1800hrs when operatives of Ubiaja Division through technical intelligence arrested a suspected kidnapper, Suleman Harruna ‘m’, aged 28, a national of the Republic of Niger who resides in Kaba, Kogi State.
“During interrogation, members of the Hausa/Fulani community were invited for identification and the suspect was identified as a member of a notorious kidnapping gang alongside one other.
“The suspect made useful confessions and has been aiding the police in ongoing investigations,” she said.
Ikoedem further disclosed that on February 20, 2026, at about 5:50 p.m., another suspect, Ibrahim Kodo of Illushi community, was tracked down and arrested in collaboration with the Nigerian Army.
She said the suspect was identified by a victim as one of three armed men who kidnapped him from his farm on June 2, 2025.
“Similarly, on February 26, 2026, at about 9:00 a.m., another suspected kidnapper named Orsee Iorzaa of Omi Camp in Illushi was arrested through steady surveillance based on intelligence.
“A kidnapped victim identified the suspect as one of the five-man gang who invaded his home with guns and kidnapped him on February 21, 2026.
“Investigation is on top gear to recover their arms and apprehend other members of the syndicate,” she added.
The police spokesperson also revealed that on March 7, 2026, at about 8:25 a.m., police operatives working with members of the Edo State Security Corps carried out a bush-combing operation in the Onogholọ Forest and Akwocha Forest.
During the operation, four suspected kidnappers reportedly opened fire on the advancing security team but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the operatives.
Ikoedem said one of the suspects was neutralised during the gun battle, while three others escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds.
Items recovered from the scene included one single-barrel shotgun, a black facial mask, two live cartridges and two expended cartridges.
She added that bush-combing operations are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.