The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of nine victims from two separate kidnapping incidents across the state.
According to the command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, five victims were freed after being abducted from a GUO Transport bus along the Benin–Lagos Expressway.
The rescue followed a rapid and coordinated response involving tactical units, intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance, and extensive bush-combing operations ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika.
Police said the sustained pressure mounted on the kidnappers forced them to abandon the victims, who were all recovered alive. The victims have since received medical care and have been reunited with their families.
In a separate operation, four additional victims who had been held captive earlier this month were rescued from the Imiegba forest in Agenebode, Edo North. They have also been treated and are reported safe.
The command stated that security presence along the Benin–Lagos Expressway and surrounding communities has been reinforced, with full deployment of tactical and intelligence resources to prevent further attacks.
The police also assured the public that efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest those responsible for the kidnappings.
The rescues come days after gunmen attacked a passenger bus on the expressway, killing the driver and abducting several passengers, an incident that sparked widespread concern after a video of the aftermath surfaced online.
