The Edo State Police Command has recovered the bodies of two individuals who were abducted and murdered by their captors in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state. The development follows the arrest of a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate.
ASP Eno Ikoedem, the command’s spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. One of the victims was identified as Mrs. Favour Nosakhare, 66, who was abducted along with two family members in Iyowa Community, Ovia North-East LGA.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, the bodies were recovered after the arrest of Musa Haruna, a suspected member of the syndicate. Haruna led police operatives to shallow graves weeks after the abduction.
Abduction Incident
On May 9, 2026, three women—Mrs. Favour Nosakhare (66), Mrs. Emmanuel Annabel Osasere (28), and Miss Rejoice Otikpere (26)—were abducted by armed kidnappers who invaded their residence in Iyowa Community. The assailants whisked them away into a nearby forest.
Days after the abduction, the kidnappers contacted the victims’ family through a video call, during which the women were brutally flogged and tortured while their captors demanded ransom for their release. This disturbing development heightened concerns among residents and galvanized the Edo State Police Command into intensive efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
Police Operation
Acting on intelligence and leveraging tactical and technological resources, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), in collaboration with the Drone Unit, commenced sustained rescue operations and aerial surveillance across identified forests and criminal hideouts within Ovia North-East and adjoining areas.
On May 19, 2026, operatives busted the kidnapping gang along a powerline within the forest. The suspects engaged the police in a fierce gun duel but were overwhelmed by superior firepower. The hoodlums fled into the bush with gunshot injuries. A blood-soaked jacket and expended AK-47 ammunition were recovered from the scene. Surveillance and tracking operations were further intensified.
Painstaking investigation led to the arrest of Musa Haruna, 23, with a gunshot injury. He is a member of the kidnapping syndicate notorious for kidnapping and armed robbery along the Benin-Lagos Road and Old Benin-Akure Road corridors.
Confession and Recovery
During interrogation, the suspect confessed to his involvement in the crime and led operatives of the VCRU into a thick forest at Ogwa Community, Ovia North-East LGA, where two decomposing bodies were recovered on June 2, 2026. One body was identified as that of Mrs. Favour Nosakhare by the family.
Investigation is ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate at large. Tactical and intelligence-driven operations have escalated, and the Command is confident that the remaining suspects will be brought to justice soon.
Police Commissioner’s Statement
The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, commended the operatives of the VCRU and the Police Drone Unit for their resilience, professionalism, and dedication to duty, which culminated in this major breakthrough.
CP Agbonika further appealed to members of the public to continue to partner with the Police by providing timely, credible, and actionable information. He assured residents that the Command remains committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens and will leave no stone unturned until every member of the notorious criminal syndicate is arrested and made to face the full weight of the law.
