• Recover N1.5m ransom as fleeing gang members escape into forest
Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, have rescued a 50-year-old farmer, Lucky Egbiki, who was abducted from his farm in Okehussan, Ubiaja, Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The operation, conducted under Operation KO SALO, also led to the neutralisation of one of the suspected kidnappers and the recovery of N1.5m allegedly intended as ransom for the victim’s release.
The Army disclosed this in a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, on Saturday.
According to the statement, the operation followed credible intelligence on the abduction of Egbiki from his farm in Okehussan.
The troops, working with the police, subsequently exploited ransom negotiations to lure members of the kidnapping gang to a predetermined location at Onogholo in Esan South-East Local Government Area.
The security forces engaged the criminals at about 6pm on August 6, 2026, when one of the suspected kidnappers arrived at the location to collect the ransom.
The Army said the troops neutralised the suspect during the encounter, forcing other members of the gang to abandon the victim and flee into the surrounding forest.
“During the encounter, one of the kidnappers who arrived at the location to collect the ransom was neutralised by the troops, forcing the other members of the gang to abandon the victim and flee into the surrounding forest, with some believed to have sustained gunshot wounds,” the statement said.
Following the engagement, the troops rescued Egbiki unharmed and recovered the N1.5m ransom.
The rescued farmer was subsequently handed over to his family after undergoing preliminary debriefing and medical assessment, with the Army confirming that he was in stable condition.
The security forces subsequently launched a follow-up clearance operation in the surrounding forest on August 7 and 8 in an attempt to track the fleeing kidnappers.
The Army, however, said the troops did not make further contact with the criminals during the clearance operation.
The Brigade described the rescue as a demonstration of the military’s intelligence-driven approach and operational readiness in tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in Edo State.
It also stressed the importance of collaboration between security agencies in improving the effectiveness of operations against criminal elements.
The Army urged residents of Edo State to continue providing security agencies with timely and credible information on suspicious activities and criminal movements.
According to the statement, such information remained critical to sustaining operational successes and improving security across the state.
The Commander, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their courage, proactiveness and professionalism during the operation.
Balogun assured residents that the Brigade would sustain pressure on kidnappers and other criminal elements operating within its area of responsibility.
He said the troops would continue to conduct aggressive and intelligence-led operations aimed at denying criminals safe havens and protecting lives and property.
The Commander also emphasised the importance of creating a secure environment for farming and other legitimate economic activities across Edo State.
The latest operation comes amid continuing security concerns over kidnapping in parts of Edo State, particularly in rural communities and farming areas where criminal gangs have targeted residents and farmers.
The Army said it would continue to work with other security agencies and communities to disrupt criminal networks and strengthen security across the state.
