Edo Police Arrest 18-Year-Old for Staging Kidnap, 11 Others in Syndicate Bust

The Edo State Police Command has arrested an 18-year-old woman, Obehi Odine, for allegedly fabricating her own kidnapping to demand a N10 million ransom. She has reportedly confessed to the crime.

In a separate operation, police also arrested 11 suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate during a coordinated bush-combing exercise in Ubiaja. The operation, involving the military and local security corps, targeted a concealed forest enclave identified through drone surveillance.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects’ camp include 24 Dane guns, cutlasses, battle axes, gunpowder, a motorcycle, mobile phones, and N209,700 in cash.

The State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, warned the public against making false kidnapping reports, stating such actions waste security resources and cause undue panic. He reiterated the command’s commitment to technology-driven operations and urged continued public cooperation.

This development follows a recent kidnapping in Imoga, where gunmen abducted eight persons and demanded a N100 million ransom.