The Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has announced the arrest of 129 suspects for various violent crimes across Edo State, alongside the rescue of 30 kidnapped victims, as part of intensified security operations in the state.
Addressing journalists in Benin City at his first end-of-month press conference for 2026, the CP said the Edo State Police Command had sustained a proactive, intelligence-driven offensive against kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists and other organised criminal networks.
According to him, operations spanning the forests of Edo North and major flashpoints in Edo Central have led to the dismantling of several kidnappers’ camps, reopening previously unsafe routes and restoring public confidence.
Agbonika disclosed that from January 2026, the Command arrested 13 suspected murder suspects, 14 suspected armed robbers, 87 suspected kidnappers and 15 suspected cultists.
Beyond arrests, he said 30 kidnapped victims were rescued, many unharmed. The Command also recovered six stolen vehicles, three stolen motorcycles and 39 stolen phones.
He revealed that a significant cache of arms and ammunition was seized during various operations, including fabricated AK-47 rifles, a standard AK-47 rifle with 30 rounds of live ammunition, 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, cut-to-size single-barrelled shotguns, 28 Dane guns, a Makarov pistol, a Beretta pistol, a double-barrelled shotgun and 20 live cartridges.
The CP attributed the operational successes to joint efforts with the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Edo State Security Corps, the Department of State Services and local hunters.
He noted that aerial support, including police helicopters and drones, had significantly enhanced bush-combing operations and real-time intelligence gathering. Tactical operatives, he said, have undergone specialised drone training, enabling effective aerial reconnaissance, monitoring of flashpoints and tracking of fleeing suspects.
Agbonika expressed appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for approving the deployment of police helicopters and other tactical support. He also commended the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, for donating drones and providing logistical backing to strengthen operational capacity.
Declaring that Edo State was “out of bounds to criminals,” the CP warned that no forest or hideout would shield offenders from law enforcement.
As the Valentine season approaches, he urged residents to celebrate responsibly and remain security conscious, assuring that officers and tactical teams would be on high alert to guarantee peaceful festivities.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intensifying operations to restore lasting peace, bolster investor confidence and ensure the safety of law-abiding residents across Edo State.
