Newsworth | Danjuma Amodu | January 13, 2026
The Edo State Police Command has completed a strategic overhaul of the Ekpoma Police Division, appointing CSP Tomofe Nwabueze as new Divisional Police Officer (DPO) with immediate effect.
The move follows weeks of escalating kidnappings and community protests demanding action and it’s already yielding results. An 18-year-old lady who staged her own kidnapping to extort ₦10 million from her relatives has been arrested, along with 11 suspected members of a forest-based kidnapping syndicate. Police recovered 24 Dane guns, cutlasses, charms, cash and other incriminating items.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, announced the reorganisation as part of a broader shift toward intelligence-driven, tech-enabled policing across Edo State.
According to a press release issued by Police Public Relations Officer ASP Eno Ikoedem, the new DPO swung into action immediately after assuming office.
At noon on January 12, 2026, a distress call reported a kidnapping along Old INEC Road, Ekpoma. Acting swiftly, the DPO deployed technical intelligence units to trace the caller. Investigations revealed the incident was staged.
Obehi Odine ‘F’, aged 18, was arrested after confessing she faked her own abduction and demanded a ransom of Ten Million Naira (₦10,000,000) to extort money from relatives. Police warned that such false reports divert critical resources from real emergencies and deepen public distrust.
Simultaneously in Ubiaja, a joint bush combing operation led by the Ubiaja DPO alongside the Nigerian Military and Edo State Security Corps (ESSC), targeted a concealed forest enclave near Akwocha Camp which drone surveillance had identified the site as a suspected kidnapping and logistics hub.
Eleven male suspects believed to be part of an organized kidnapping syndicate were arrested. Recovered exhibits include 24 Dane guns, 17 cutlasses, 3 battle axes, gunpowder, torchlights, mobile phones, solar panels, assorted charms, one Daylong motorcycle, and ₦209,700 cash.
CP Agbonika issued a stern warning against fabricating kidnapping reports or engaging in deceptive acts, stating such behaviour wastes security resources, creates panic, and undermines public confidence. Offenders will face full prosecution.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to technology-driven policing, aggressive forest clearance, and intelligence-led operations to dismantle criminal networks statewide.
The operation drew mixed reactions online. An X user (formerly Twitter), Comrade Iba Monso, questioned the use of dane guns by kidnappers, suggesting hunters may have been targeted as scapegoats. Similarly, IPOB Zurich claimed the seized rifles belong to legitimate hunters who double as community vigilantes.
Melvin Tomesele challenged the credibility of the weapons recovered, noting kidnappers in recent videos were armed with AK-47s. Another user, Nnayilexion, demanded transparency on the suspects’ identities and tribes.
Troublingly, an X user called Darioseprojects posted screenshots suggesting the photos used in the police press release were identical to images posted five years ago by @Damilare__O — raising questions about the authenticity of the evidence and police claim.
Nevertheless, the Police urge the residents to report suspicious activities via:
– Emergency Control Room: 08077773721, 08037646272
– Public Complaints Bureau: 08150999335
– Complaints Response Unit: 08100389992
