Edo police arrest 11 suspected kidnappers and 18-year-old for fake kidnap in Ekpoma
Police in Edo State have arrested 11 suspected kidnappers and an 18-year-old girl who staged her own abduction in Ekpoma and demanded a N10 million ransom from her family, in a case that highlights the growing security challenges and false distress reports in the region. The arrests came after the Edo State Police Command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika, reorganised the Ekpoma Division and intensified operations to tackle kidnapping and related crimes in the area.
The incident began on January 12, 2026, when police received a report of a suspected kidnapping along Old INEC Road in Ekpoma. Officers quickly responded and tracked the caller, leading to the arrest of 18-year-old Obehi Odine, who confessed to fabricating her own kidnapping to extort money from her family. She allegedly demanded a ransom of Ten Million Naira (₦10,000,000) before she was taken into custody.
In a separate but related security operation, police and security forces carried out a bush-combing exercise in the Ubiaja forest corridors, working with the Nigerian Military and the Edo State Security Corps. This strategic sweep uncovered a concealed forest enclave suspected of serving as a base for organised kidnappers. During this operation, eleven male suspects believed to be part of a kidnapping syndicate were arrested. Authorities seized a range of weapons and items, including 24 Dane guns, 17 cutlasses, three battle axes, gunpowder, torchlights, mobile phones, solar panels, a motorcycle and cash amounting to ₦209,700.
The police publicly condemned the staging of fake kidnappings, warning that such actions divert valuable security resources, create unnecessary public fear and undermine confidence in genuine emergency responses. They stressed that individuals found involved in false reports or deceptive acts connected to kidnapping will be prosecuted under the law.
The arrests and recovered weapons underscore the ongoing efforts by the Edo State Police Command to dismantle criminal networks and secure communities within the state, as well as the growing need for public cooperation in reporting credible information to law enforcement.
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