Edo Police Catch Kidnapper, Find Body of Abducted Woman

By Chioma Eze· 3 Jun 2026(updated 46m ago)· 2 min read· 👁 0 views

The police in Edo State have arrested a suspected kidnapper and found the body of one of three women taken from their home in Ovia North-East Local Government Area.

The police shared this news in a tweet on Wednesday.

According to Eno Ikoedem, the police spokesperson, the victims are Mrs Favour Nosakhare, 66, Mrs Annabel Osasere, 28, and Miss Rejoice Otikpere, 26. They were kidnapped by armed men who broke into their home in Iyowa Community on May 9 and took them to a nearby forest.

The kidnappers later contacted the families of the victims through a video call. During this call, the families saw the women being tortured.

Police Operation

The police said members of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), alongside the Drone Unit, started rescue operations and aerial surveillance in forests and hideouts in Ovia North-East and surrounding areas.

On May 19, police tracked the kidnappers to a spot along a powerline corridor in a forest.

"Operatives caught the gang along a powerline in the forest. The suspects shot at the police, but the officers were able to overpower them with better firepower," the police explained.

Ikoedem noted that the suspects ran away with gunshot wounds, leaving behind a blood-stained jacket and used AK-47 bullets.

Suspect Arrested, Body Recovered

The police later arrested Musa Haruna, 23, who had a gunshot wound. They described him as a member of a gang known for kidnapping and armed robbery along the Benin-Lagos Road and the Old Benin-Akure Road.

Ikoedem said that Haruna admitted to being part of the crime and took investigators to a forest in Ogwa Community. There, they found two decomposing bodies on June 2.

"One of the bodies has been identified as Mrs Favour Nosakhare by her family. She was one of the victims taken on May 9, 2023," the police stated.