NSCDC Smashes Kidnap Syndicate in Edo, Arrests 70 Suspects

In a major security breakthrough, operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have dismantled multiple criminal hideouts and arrested 70 suspects linked to kidnapping, rape, and other violent crimes in Okpella, Edo State.

The operation, conducted by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG-SIS) under the directive of NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, was launched to curb the growing menace of abductions and related crimes in the area.

Led by Commandant A. S. Dandaura, the NSCDC team carried out a coordinated clearance operation with support from the Nigerian Army and BUA Cement Company’s General Manager, Mr. Richard Gidado. The operation targeted gangs posing as illegal miners and charcoal dealers, who had been terrorising residents and travellers across Etsako East Local Government Area.

During the operation, several criminal enclaves were uncovered and dismantled, with kidnap victims rescued. Among those freed was Mrs. Agbe Matar, who had been held hostage for more than seven days.

Speaking after her rescue, Mrs. Matar recounted how she and her sister-in-law were abducted while working on their rice farm in the Ichoke area of Itsukwi community. She said the armed men, disguised as herders, demanded a ₦30 million ransom and subjected their captives to days of torture before security forces intervened.

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“We were beaten, starved, and threatened daily. I had lost hope until the NSCDC came,” Mrs. Matar said, expressing gratitude to the rescue team.

The Paramount Ruler of Itsukwi Kingdom, His Royal Highness Usman Suleiman, the Ogei-Ochi III, hailed the NSCDC and its partners for restoring calm to the area.

He praised Prof. Audi’s leadership and urged continued collaboration among security agencies, traditional institutions, and local communities to sustain the fight against crime.

Commandant Dandaura described the success of the Okpella operation as proof of the NSCDC’s determination to protect citizens and dismantle criminal networks nationwide.

“This operation is part of an ongoing effort to disrupt organised crime and bring perpetrators to justice,” he said. “All arrested suspects will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted according to the law.”

 

The NSCDC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring public safety through intelligence-led operations, inter-agency collaboration, and community engagement—an approach it said was key to achieving lasting peace and security across Nigeria.