The Edo State Police Command has rescued a 70-year-old man, Pa Jonah Owobu, who was abducted from his farm in Uwalo Oke, Uromi, after a swift joint security operation that also disrupted a ₦30 million ransom demand by his abductors.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikokodem, the incident was reported on April 21, 2026, when the victim’s wife informed the police that her husband “had failed to return from his farm on 20th April, 2026.” She further disclosed that “at about 2130hrs on the same day, unknown individuals contacted the family demanding a ransom of Thirty Million Naira (₦30,000,000) for his release.”
The command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, immediately launched a coordinated search and rescue operation. The statement noted that the Amedokhian Divisional Police Officer “promptly mobilized 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, security operatives recovered the victim’s motorcycle and personal belongings along a forest path, which helped them trace the kidnappers’ hideout. The police said the discovery “guided operatives deeper into the area” until they eventually located where the victim was being held.
On sighting the advancing security team, the suspects reportedly fled into the bush, abandoning their victim. The statement confirmed that “the victim was successfully rescued unhurt and has since been reunited with his family.”
The police added that “intensive bush combing and a manhunt for the fleeing suspects are ongoing, with a view to apprehending them and bringing them to justice.”
Reaffirming the Command’s stance, CP Monday Agbonika stated the “unwavering commitment to combating kidnapping and all forms of criminality in the State,” assuring residents of continued security operations and urging the public to “provide timely and credible information to the Police.”
The Command said efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.