Joint raid hits hideouts in Auchi, Okpella and Aviele Forest as arms, drugs and cash are recovered.
Security agencies have dealt a heavy blow to kidnapping and drug networks in Edo North Senatorial District, arresting 13 suspects in coordinated raids across Etsako West, Auchi and Okpella.
The operation, carried out on February 4 under Operation IGBO DANU 1, saw troops of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade working alongside the Air Force, Police, NSCDC and Edo State Security Corps to flush out criminal hideouts.
Eight suspects were first picked up in Osara, Auchi and Okpella, with operatives recovering a pump-action gun, a locally made pistol, live cartridges, and a stash of drugs, including codeine and suspected cannabis. Also seized were cutlasses, phones, a POS machine, weighing scales, and ₦87,550 cash.
The crackdown later moved to the Aviele Forest, a known transit route for kidnappers, where five more suspects were arrested with motorcycles and Android phones. All suspects and exhibits have been handed over to the Edo State Police Command for further investigation.
Commending the inter-agency teamwork, 4 Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, sent a clear warning: “Edo State will not be a safe haven for kidnappers or criminals. We will sustain aggressive operations to protect lives and property.”
Residents have been urged to stay vigilant and continue sharing credible information as security forces tighten the noose on criminal elements across Edo North.
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