Edo State Police Command has rescued nine kidnapped victims from two separate abduction incidents along the Benin–Lagos Expressway and nearby forest areas..
The Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by its Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, noting that the operation followed coordinated tactical efforts ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika
.
According to the statement, all victims abducted during the recent attack along the Benin–Lagos Expressway were successfully rescued alive after the deployment of tactical teams, intelligence resources, aerial surveillance, and sustained bush-combing operations.
The police said the sustained pressure mounted on the kidnappers forced them to abandon the victims, who were later found and safely recovered. The victims have since received medical attention and have been reunited with their families.
In a related operation, the Command also rescued four additional victims who had been abducted earlier in the month and held captive in the Imiegba forest in Agenebode.
All victims were medically examined and confirmed to be in stable condition, bringing the total number of rescued persons to nine.
The Command assured residents that security presence along the Benin–Lagos Expressway and surrounding areas has been strengthened to prevent further incidents.
The rescue operations followed an earlier attack on April 18, 2026, when suspected armed kidnappers ambushed a GUO Transport Company bus in the Iguobazuwa axis of the expressway.
The attackers reportedly opened fire on the vehicle, killing the driver and abducting passengers.
One female passenger was earlier rescued with gunshot injuries and taken to a hospital, while others were taken into the forest.
The driver’s body was deposited at a mortuary, and the vehicle was recovered by the police for investigation.
