Police arrest suspected kidnapper in Ewu after a forest operation along Ewu-Auchi Road. Officers continue search for fleeing gang members.

The Edo State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper during a security operation along the Ewu–Auchi Road in Edo State.

Police operatives attached to PMF Base 82, Uromi, carried out the operation on May 17, 2026, at about 3:00 pm. The officers acted on credible intelligence from a concerned resident.

According to the Police, the informant reported suspicious movements by suspected kidnappers inside a forest near the Ewu–Auchi Road.

Following the tip-off, the operatives quickly stormed the forest. However, the suspects fled immediately after seeing the Police team.

The officers chased the suspects and successfully arrested Mohammed Zaradeen Saleh, an 18-year-old suspect. Meanwhile, three other gang members escaped from the scene.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect belongs to a kidnapping syndicate operating within the area.

The suspect also confessed that two fleeing gang members, identified as Musa Shedau and Abdulmumini, are carrying firearms.

The Edo State Police Command said officers have intensified efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects and recover their weapons.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, praised residents for remaining vigilant and supporting security agencies with useful information.

He also encouraged members of the public to support the Community Safety Partnership Initiative by reporting suspicious activities to the Police.

According to the Police Commissioner, timely information from residents remains important in the fight against crime across Edo State.