Army arrests armed kidnap suspect along Edo Transport route

Abimbola Joseph

Troops attached to 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, participating in Operation WABAIZIGAN, have taken an armed kidnap suspect into custody and seized an AK-47 assault rifle along with ammunition during a targeted patrol on the Benin–Sapele highway in Edo State’s Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.

This development was confirmed in an official communication issued on Sunday by Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy Anyanwu, who serves as Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for 4 Brigade in Benin.

According to the official statement, military personnel apprehended the individual—identified as Olamide Oyeniyi—on 12 September 2026 in Obaretin Community whilst conducting routine operations designed to dismantle criminal networks and secure key transport arteries across the district.

Search operations yielded several items in the suspect’s possession: One AK-47 rifle, one loaded magazine, and eight rounds of 7.62mm. Special ammunition; a Tecno mobile handset; and two bags, a torch, a portable speaker, and traditional protective charms

Anyanwu stated that the suspect and recovered items remain in military custody for further investigation, with ongoing efforts to establish connections to broader criminal networks and ascertain involvement in recent abductions along the corridor.

He reassured the public that the Nigerian Army remains committed to denying criminal elements freedom of action, ensuring community safety, and sustaining joint security operations across Edo State.