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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Disasters & Emergencies

Army kills kidnapper, rescue abducted farmer in Edo

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Nigerian Army troops, in collaboration with the police, rescued a 50-year-old farmer, Mr. Lucky Egbiki, who had been abducted in Edo State.
  • The rescue operation involved luring the kidnappers to a specific location using ransom negotiations, where one kidnapper was killed and the others fled, allowing the victim's safe recovery.
  • The Army recovered N1.5 million in ransom money and emphasized its operational readiness and intelligence-driven approach, urging continued public cooperation in providing information.

A 50-year-old farmer, Mr. Lucky Egbiki, has been safely rescued by Nigerian Army troops and the Nigeria Police Force in Edo State, following his abduction from his farm in Okehussan, Ubiaja. The successful operation, which took place on August 6, was a result of credible intelligence regarding the farmer's whereabouts.

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.

— Kennedy AnyanwuAssistant Director Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, describing the rescue operation.

According to Kennedy Anyanwu, Assistant Director Army Public Relations for the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Benin City, security forces employed a strategy of ransom negotiation to draw the kidnappers into a trap. The criminals were lured to a predetermined location at Onogholo in Esan South East Local Government Area. Upon arrival to collect the ransom, troops and police engaged the gang. One kidnapper was neutralized, prompting the remaining members to abandon the victim and flee into the surrounding forest, with some believed to have sustained injuries.

Following the encounter, Mr. Egbiki was rescued unharmed. The troops also recovered the N1.5 million ransom that had been prepared for the kidnappers. After a preliminary debriefing and medical assessment, the farmer was confirmed to be in stable condition and was subsequently handed over to his family.

The people of Edo State are therefore encouraged to continue providing timely, credible and actionable information to security agencies, as such support remains vital to sustaining operational successes and enhancing security across the state.

— Kennedy AnyanwuCall for public cooperation in providing intelligence to security forces.

In subsequent clearance operations on August 7 and 8, troops searched the forest for the fleeing kidnappers but made no further contact. The Army highlighted the operation as a demonstration of its "operational readiness" and "intelligence-driven approach" in combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in Edo State. Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, Commander of the 4 Brigade, commended the troops for their proactiveness, courage, and professionalism, reassuring residents that the brigade would maintain pressure on criminal elements and continue aggressive, intelligence-led operations to ensure a secure environment.

The brigade will continue to apply sustained pressure on kidnappers and other criminal elements operating within its area of responsibility.

— Brigadier General Ahmed BalogunCommander, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, reassuring residents about continued security operations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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