Edo State Police have rescued kidnap victim Michael Akano and neutralised three suspected kidnappers during a joint security operation in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area. The operation also led to the recovery of locally fabricated firearms and other items.
The Edo State Police Command has rescued a kidnap victim and neutralised three suspected kidnappers during a joint security operation in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.
The operation, conducted at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, October 11, followed intelligence gathering and technical support that enabled security operatives to locate the victim’s suspected hideout.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed the development in a statement, identifying the rescued victim as Michael Akano, who was abducted on October 9, 2026.
According to the police, the joint security team stormed the Geo Works bushes and forest bordering Otuo, where the victim was being held.
The operation involved police operatives from Igarra Division, personnel of the Nigerian Army’s 195 Battalion, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), local hunters and members of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC).
Ikoedem said three suspected members of the kidnapping gang were neutralised during a gun duel, while other members escaped with gunshot wounds.
She added that Akano was rescued unhurt and taken to a hospital for medical attention.
Items recovered during the operation included three locally fabricated single-barrel shotguns, eight live cartridges, five expended cartridges, two cutlasses and five mobile phones of different brands.
The police spokesperson said the bodies of the three suspected kidnappers had been deposited at the General Hospital mortuary in Igarra for autopsy.
She added that security operatives were continuing to comb the surrounding bushes in an effort to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, CP Patrick Daaor, commended the joint security team for its swift response, effective collaboration and courage during the operation.
Daaor reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-led security operations and preventing criminal groups from using parts of the state as safe havens.
He also urged residents to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to support efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The police said operations would continue to locate the fleeing suspects and strengthen security across the state.
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