Police rescue abducted couple, arrest suspect in Edo
by The Eagle Online · The Eagle OnlineOperatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a suspected kidnapper and rescued a husband and wife from captivity in the state.
The victims, Rita Emma, 49, and her husband, Obareki Emmanuel, 66, were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in Iruekpen on September 4, 2026, and whisked into a forest.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said following a report of the abduction, operatives of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) 82 Squadron, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) and vigilantes, mobilised into the forest for a rescue operation.
She said the operation led to the rescue of Mrs Emma, who was found almost unconscious in the forest, while efforts continued to locate her husband.
According to Ikoedem, further search operations led to the arrest of one Alhassan Adamu, 32, in connection with the kidnapping.
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She said that on September 6, 2026, the security team rescued the second victim, Mr Obareki Emmanuel, at Ibeakuma Forest following sustained bush-combing operations.
According to her, through an intelligence-led operation involving technical intelligence and bush-combing, the kidnappers were tracked to a location within the forest where they had positioned themselves to collect the ransom payment.
She said the operation led to the rescue of the victim and recovery of the ransom money, while the suspects fled into the forest with gunshot wounds.
Ikoedem added that the bush-combing operation was ongoing, as efforts had been intensified to track down, arrest and bring the fleeing suspects to justice.
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