At least 70 suspects have been arrested and several kidnapped victims rescued following a major security operation jointly conducted by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigerian Army in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The clearance operation, carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS), targeted criminal networks allegedly responsible for kidnappings, rape, and other violent crimes in the area.
According to a statement by CSC Afolabi Babawale, National Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, the operation was ordered by the Commandant General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi.
Commandant of the CG’s SIS, AS Dandaura, said the mission aimed to dismantle gangs that operate under the guise of illegal mining and charcoal trading. These groups are believed to have been behind several abductions in the Okpella axis.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and officials of BUA International Cement Company, following the recent killing of eight security personnel attached to the company. BUA’s General Manager, Mr. Richard Gidado, was also part of the coordinated response effort.
During the raid, security personnel stormed multiple hideouts used to detain hostages, rescuing several victims, including Mrs. Agbe Martha, who had been held for more than a week.
She revealed that she and her sister-in-law were abducted from their rice farm in the Ichoke area of Itsukwi community and subjected to torture while their captors demanded a ₦30 million ransom.
In reaction, His Royal Highness Usman Suleiman, Ogei-Ochi III of Itsukwi Kingdom, praised the NSCDC leadership for the swift and decisive action, commending Prof. Audi’s approach to restoring peace in the community.
Commandant Dandaura reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to sustaining the crackdown on criminal elements, emphasizing that investigations and prosecutions are already underway.
He noted that the operation’s success highlights the critical role of inter-agency collaboration in tackling insecurity across Nigeria.