Police thwart ransom plot, rescue 70-year-old kidnap victim in Edo

The Edo State Police Command has successfully foiled a ransom payment plot and rescued a 70-year-old man who was abducted in the state.

In a statement released on Saturday, the command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed that the victim, Pa Jonah Owobu, hails from Uwalo Oke in Uromi, located within Edo Central.

According to the police, the elderly man was declared missing after he left for his farm on April 21, 2026, and failed to return home, raising alarm among family members and residents of the community.

His wife, who reported him missing, said that at about 21:30hrs on the same day, unknown individuals contacted the family and demanded a ransom of ₦30 million for his release before he was later rescued.

“The Edo State Police Command, under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, successfully rescued a kidnapped victim following a swift and coordinated search and rescue operation.

“On April 21, 2026, at about 07:10hrs, the command received a report from the wife of Pa Jonah Owobu of Uwalo Oke, Uromi, that her husband, aged 70 years, had failed to return from his farm on April 20, 2026.

“She further reported that at about 21:30hrs on the same day, unknown individuals contacted the family demanding a ransom of ₦30 million for his release.

“Upon receipt of the report, the Amedokhian Divisional Police Officer promptly mobilised a joint team comprising police operatives, military personnel, local hunters and members of the Edo State Security Corps for an immediate search and rescue operation within the forest.

“During the operation, the victim’s abandoned motorcycle and personal belongings were recovered along a forest route, which guided operatives deeper into the area.

“The team eventually located the hideout where the victim was being held. On sighting the advancing operatives, the suspected kidnappers fled into the bush, abandoning the victim.

“The victim was successfully rescued unhurt and has since been reunited with his family,” the statement read.

Ikoedem said bush combing and a manhunt for the fleeing suspects were ongoing.

The Commissioner of Police reiterated the command’s commitment to combating kidnapping and other crimes in the state, assuring residents of sustained security operations and urging them to provide timely information.

TheLeader reports that operatives of the Edo State Police Command earlier rescued nine victims from separate kidnapping incidents in the state.

Three of the victims were rescued from the GUO bus incident, while six others were rescued from separate incidents across the state.