In a sweeping operation that peeled back the layers of a violent criminal network, the Edo State Police Command has dismantled a kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate, arresting two of its key operatives and freeing a woman who fell victim to a sinister online courtship.
Commissioner of Police Patrick Daaor, addressing journalists in Benin City on Tuesday, revealed that the suspects, identified as Mohammed Hamisu, 22, and Saidu Bebe, 23, were taken into custody by the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) on June 29, 2026, in the Okada area of Ovia North East Local Government Area. Acting on credible intelligence, the operatives moved swiftly to intercept the duo, who authorities say were deeply embedded in a crew notorious for terrorizing residents with kidnappings and armed robberies.
The breakthrough, however, did not end with the arrests. During profiling, the suspects led investigators deep into a dense forest straddling the border between Edo and Delta States, near Abudu and Obiaruku. There, hidden among the thickets, the police recovered three AK-pattern rifles and two magazines. But the hunt was far from over. On August 12, 2026, the suspects returned with operatives to the same forest, guiding them to a stash of 58 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition and yet another magazine. The Commissioner confirmed that efforts are now laser-focused on hunting down the remaining members of the syndicate and seizing more of their arsenal.
In a separate but equally gripping case, the command announced the rescue of a female victim, Elizabeth William, a resident of Uwelu Quarters, Benin City. She was pulled to safety by the anti-kidnapping unit at Ogheghe Community, off the Benin-Auchi Road by Egba. The rescue came after a harrowing ordeal that began not on a dark street, but on the glowing screen of a smartphone.
Preliminary investigations painted a chilling picture: William had connected with her alleged captor on the popular social media platform TikTok. What started as a seemingly harmless exchange evolved into a romantic connection, with the suspect, a known member of the dreaded Aiye secret cult, luring her to his residence under the pretense of a date. Instead of a warm welcome, she found herself held captive, her family contacted and squeezed for a ransom of N500,000, which was ultimately paid for her release.
The suspect has since been arrested, and the police are piecing together the full extent of his criminal activities. For now, the twin successes highlight a growing resolve to crush both the armed gangs that plague the region and the more insidious predators who use digital platforms to bait their prey.
