Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade, working with other security agencies, have arrested 13 suspected kidnappers and drug peddlers during coordinated clearance operations in Edo North Senatorial District of Edo State.
The operation, codenamed Operation IGBO DANU 1, was carried out on February 4, 2026, at Osara Community in Etsako West Local Government Area, as well as Auchi and Okpella communities.
It involved personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Edo State Police Command, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Edo State Security Corps.
According to a statement issued by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, eight suspects were arrested during the initial phase of the operation.
Those arrested were identified as Jamilu Mohammad (25), Kasim Abu (33), Braimoh Affeez (31), Sulaiman Hamisu (36), Lawan Umaru (25), Bawa Auwal (24), Musa Umaru (40), and Amodu Attai (50).
Items recovered from the suspects included one English pump-action gun, four live cartridges, and a locally made pistol. Other exhibits seized were a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, two cutlasses, a Nikon digital camera, two Android phones, a metal hook, five bottles of codeine syrup, weighing scales, and quantities of substances suspected to be cannabis sativa, tramadol, ice, loud and colos. The sum of ₦87,550 was also recovered.
In a related operation, troops of 4 Brigade, in collaboration with the Edo State Police Command, raided the Aviele Forest in Etsako West Local Government Area to flush out suspected kidnappers and terrorists. Five additional suspects Isiaka Abubakar (37), Mohammad Abubakar (25), Yusuf Abubakar (24), Mohammed Somu (20), and Isiaka Ibrahim (30) — were arrested during the forest raid.
Recovered items from the second operation included two motorcycles, two Android phones, and a power bank.
All suspects and recovered items have been handed over to the Edo State Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.
The Commander of 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, who led the operations, commended the synergy among the participating security agencies. He warned that Edo State would no longer be a safe haven for kidnappers, terrorists, and other criminal elements, reaffirming the Brigade’s commitment to protecting lives and property in the state.
Brigadier General Balogun also expressed appreciation to the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, for his strategic guidance and support.