Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have rescued a couple, mother and a 14-year-old son from suspected kidnappers in the State.
DAILY POST reports that the Commissioner of Police in the State, Monday Agbonika, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Benin City.
Agbonika said the notorious kingpin responsible for the kidnapping identified as Yusuf Hassan, a.k.a Dogo Yellow and nine other members of the syndicate were arrested by the operatives.
He said the victims and suspects were rescued and arrested with the introduction and deployment of drone technology, high-tech surveillance gadgets, digital tracking systems and intelligence-led policing strategies.
He said the technologies have significantly improved the Command’s operational effectiveness, especially in combating kidnapping and violent crimes across Edo Central and Edo North Senatorial Districts.
He also said that the technologies were deployed to the arrest of the notorious kidnapping syndicate responsible for terrorising innocent residents within Uromi, Ewato, Emu, Okwesan, Ugboha and the entire Esan South-East axis.
The Commissioner gave the names of the rescued victims as Mrs Ezighode Ebosele and her 14-year-old son, Wisdom Ebosele and Mr Okarewagba Benth, 54 and his wife, Mrs Okarewagba Ruth, 50 years.
Agbonika said the mother and son were abducted at Udomi Quarters, Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area on May 1, 2026, while the couple from the Iyowa community were abducted on May 8, 2026, at about 5:10 pm along the Benin-Akure Road between Ozoguo and Obazuwa communities and rescued unhurt.
He stated that on receiving the reports of the kidnappings the Command immediately deployed operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit alongside combat drones, tracking devices and other technological assets for a coordinated rescue operation.
According to him, through sustained aerial surveillance, technical intelligence and lawful interception of communication used for ransom negotiation, operatives successfully rescued the victims unhurt and arrested the notorious kingpin, Yusuf Hassan a.k.a “Dogo Yellow” alongside nine other members of the syndicate.
He further said that investigations revealed that the criminal network operated an organised criminal enterprise with dedicated informants, food suppliers, victim trackers, ransom negotiators and armed enforcers.
“Shockingly, the syndicate was also actively recruiting new members into their criminal operations.
“The kingpin was eventually arrested in the premises of a known criminal hideout belonging to one of their collaborators at the outskirts of Ubiaja, a property which the Edo State Government has since demolished and confiscated in line with the established laws on kidnapping in the State.
“In another development, operatives of the Edo State Police Command foiled an attempted kidnap incident on May 8, 2026, at about 17:10 hours along the Benin-Akure Road between Ozoguo and Obazuwa communities.
“The police operatives, who were on intensive crime prevention patrol and stop-and-search duty at Obazuwa, swiftly responded after hearing gunshots and sighting the suspected kidnappers.
“An exchange of gunfire ensued as the operatives, alongside military personnel stationed at Obarenren, advanced toward the scene, forcing the hoodlums to flee into the nearby forest.
“During the operation, two victims, Mr Okarewagba Benth, 54 years, and his wife, Mrs Okarewagba Ruth, 50 years, both of the Iyowa Community, were rescued unhurt”, he added.
Agbonika stated that bush combing operations are currently ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects, while the area has remained calm and under close security surveillance.
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