Nigeria: Edo Police Kill Three Suspected Kidnappers, Rescue Kidnapped Victim

What the report says

Police in Edo State, Nigeria, say a joint security operation rescued a kidnapped man and killed three suspected abductors after a gun battle in Igarra, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area. The report, carried by Premium Times and distributed by AllAfrica, says the operation took place around 2 a.m. on Sunday after the victim, identified as Michael Akano, was abducted on 9 October.

According to the account, the breakthrough followed credible intelligence and technical support, along with a farmer’s tip that helped operatives locate the suspects in bush and forest areas near Otuo. The team reportedly included police from Igarra Division, soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 195 Battalion, the State Security Service, local hunters and members of the Edo State Security Corps.

Police said three suspected kidnappers were killed in the exchange of gunfire, while others escaped with injuries. Akano was rescued unharmed and taken to hospital for care. Officers also recovered locally made shotguns, cartridges, cutlasses and mobile phones, and the bodies of the dead suspects were moved to a hospital mortuary for autopsy.

The case adds to wider concerns about kidnapping in parts of Nigeria, where security agencies have continued intelligence-led operations against armed criminal groups. Edo police said the search for fleeing suspects was continuing and urged residents to share timely information with authorities.