Nigerian Army Rescues Kidnapped Farmer, Recovers N1.5m Ransom in Edo
Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade, under 2 Division, in collaboration with personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, have rescued a 50-year-old farmer, Mr Lucky Egbiki, who was abducted from his farm at Okehussan, Ubiaja, in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The successful operation, conducted under Operation KO SALO, followed credible intelligence on the abduction and subsequent movement of the farmer by his kidnappers.
According to the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, the rescue operation was carried out at about 6:00 p.m. on August 6, 2026, after security forces exploited ransom negotiations to lure the kidnappers to a predetermined location at Onogholo in Esan South East LGA.
Upon arrival at the location, the troops and police operatives engaged the criminals. During the encounter, one of the kidnappers who arrived to collect the ransom was neutralised, while other members of the gang fled into the surrounding forest. Some of the fleeing criminals are believed to have sustained gunshot wounds.
The security forces subsequently rescued Egbiki unharmed and recovered the ₦1.5 million ransom that had been intended for the kidnappers.
The rescued farmer underwent preliminary debriefing and medical assessment before being reunited with his family. He was confirmed to be in stable condition.
Following the operation, troops conducted follow-up clearance operations on August 7 and 8, combing the surrounding forest in an effort to locate the fleeing criminals. However, no further contact was established with the kidnappers during the clearance operations.
The Nigerian Army described the operation as another demonstration of its intelligence-driven approach to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in Edo State, while emphasising the importance of inter-agency cooperation in strengthening security operations.
Commander of 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their courage, proactiveness and professionalism during the operation.
He assured residents that the Brigade would sustain aggressive and intelligence-led operations against kidnappers and other criminal elements within its area of responsibility.
The Commander also urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that actionable intelligence remains essential to disrupting criminal activities, protecting lives and property, and creating a safer environment for farming and other legitimate economic activities across Edo State.
Nigerian Army Rescues Kidnapped Farmer, Recovers N1.5m Ransom in Edo