A suspected kidnapper was killed during a joint security operation in Edo State that led to the rescue of a 50-year-old farmer abducted from his farmland, the Nigerian Army has confirmed.
Troops of the 4 Brigade under the 2 Division, Benin City, operating alongside the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, neutralised the suspect at a predetermined ransom collection point in Onogholo, Esan South East Local Government Area. The operation, conducted under the ongoing Operation KO SALO, unfolded at approximately 1800 hours on 6 August 2026 after intelligence-led surveillance tracked the abductors’ demands for a ₦1.5 million ransom.
Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for 4 Brigade, disclosed the details in a statement released to journalists in Benin City on Sunday. According to Anyanwu, the victim, Lucky Egbiki, was seized at his farm in Okehussan, Ubiaja, within the same local government area. Following the report, a combined team of security operatives exploited the ransom negotiation process to lure the kidnappers to the designated location.
During the ensuing engagement, one kidnapper who arrived to collect the ransom was neutralised by troops. The remaining gang members abandoned Egbiki and fled into the surrounding forest, with several believed to have sustained gunshot wounds. The victim was rescued unharmed, and the full ₦1.5 million ransom was recovered by security forces.
Egbiki was subsequently handed over to his family after preliminary debriefing and medical assessment confirmed he was in stable condition. In follow-up clearance operations conducted on 7 and 8 August 2026, troops combed the adjoining forest areas in pursuit of the fleeing suspects, though no further contact was established.
The army spokesman urged residents of Edo State to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, emphasising that public cooperation remains essential to sustaining operational gains and improving security across the state.
The successful rescue underscores the growing effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration in confronting kidnapping networks in the South-South region. Security analysts have noted that intelligence-driven operations, particularly those leveraging ransom negotiations as tactical entry points, are yielding measurable results in disrupting criminal logistics and reducing the profitability of abduction-for-ransom enterprises.
As clearance patrols continue in the general area, authorities have assured communities of sustained vigilance and rapid response to emerging threats.
