Wednesday, January 14, 2026 -The Edo State Police Command has arrested an 18-year-old girl, Obehi Odine, for staging her own kidnap in Ekpoma and demanded N10m as ransom from her parents.
The spokesperson of the command, ASP Eno Ikoedem, who
disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 said police also
arrested 11 suspected kidnappers and recovered firearms and N cash.
According to the PPRO, the 11 suspects, were arrested during
a bush-combing operation around Akwocha Camp and adjoining forest corridors, in
collaboration with the Nigerian Military and the Edo State Security Corps
(ESSC).
“The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general
public that as part of ongoing security assessment and strategic repositioning
in Ekpoma, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika,
fdc, has ordered the reorganisation of the Ekpoma Division, and approved the
posting of CSP Tomofe Nwabueze to assume office as the new DPO with immediate
effect,” the statement read.
"Following a report of a suspected kidnapping along Old
INEC Road, Ekpoma, received at about noon on 12th January, 2026, the new DPO
immediately swung into action and deployed operational resources to track the
caller.
"Technical intelligence and field investigations led to
the arrest of the suspect, which later revealed a case of self-kidnapping.
"The suspect, one Obehi Odine ‘F’, aged 18, was
arrested for staging her own kidnapping and demanding a ransom of Ten Million
Naira (N10,000,000). She has confessed to the crime, admitting that the
incident was deliberately fabricated to extort money.
"In a related operation in Ubiaja, the Command recorded
another major operational success as Bush combing strategy yielded success. The
Divisional Police Officer, Ubiaja personally led a coordinated bush-combing
operation around Akwocha Camp and adjoining forest corridors, in collaboration
with the Nigerian Military and the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC).
"A concealed forest enclave identified by the drone
squadron through intelligence generated from air surveillance as a suspected
kidnapping and logistics base, was stormed.
"This resulted in the arrest of eleven (11) male
suspects believed to be members of an organized kidnapping syndicate.
"Exhibits recovered include twenty-four (24) Dane guns,
seventeen (17) cutlasses, three (3) battle axes, gun powder, torchlights,
mobile phones, solar panels, assorted charms, one Daylong motorcycle, and the
sum of N209,700.00 cash, among other exhibits.
"The Commissioner of Police, strongly warns members of
the public against engaging in false kidnapping reports and other deceptive
acts, noting that such actions waste critical security resources, divert
attention from genuine emergencies, create unnecessary panic, and undermine
public confidence, hence anyone caught will be prosecuted accordingly.
"He further reiterates the Command’s resolve to sustain
technology-driven policing, aggressive forest domination, and intelligence-led
operations to dismantle criminal networks across the state.
"Members of the public are encouraged to continue
supporting the Police with timely and credible information through the
following lines:
Emergency Control Room: 08077773721, 08037646272. Public
Complaints Bureau (PCB): 08150999335. Complaints Response Unit (CRU):
08100389992."
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