Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
The Edo State Police Command has announced a major reorganisation of its Ekpoma Division as part of a broader security assessment and strategic repositioning aimed at strengthening policing and restoring public confidence following recent unrest and criminal incidents in the area.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Command disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, ordered the restructuring of the Ekpoma Division and approved the immediate posting of Chief Superintendent of Police Tomofe Nwabueze as the new Divisional Police Officer. The move, police authorities say, is intended to enhance operational effectiveness, improve response time, and reinforce intelligence-driven policing in Ekpoma and surrounding communities.
The impact of the reorganisation was almost immediate. On January 12, 2026, at about noon, the Ekpoma Division received a distress call reporting a suspected kidnapping along Old INEC Road in the town. Acting swiftly, the newly posted DPO deployed operational and technical resources to track the origin of the call and verify the claim.
According to police investigations, a combination of technical intelligence and field inquiries quickly exposed inconsistencies in the report. The caller was subsequently traced and arrested, leading to the discovery that no kidnapping had taken place. Instead, the suspect, identified as 18-year-old Obehi Odine, confessed to staging the incident.
Police said the young woman admitted that she fabricated the kidnapping story in an attempt to extort money, demanding a ransom of ₦10 million. The Command described the act as a deliberate attempt to deceive security agencies and exploit the prevailing climate of fear linked to kidnapping incidents in the state. She remains in custody and is expected to be charged in court after investigations are concluded.
The Commissioner of Police strongly condemned the act, warning members of the public against false kidnapping reports and similar deceptive practices. He stressed that such actions waste critical security resources, divert attention from genuine emergencies, create unnecessary panic, and undermine public trust in law enforcement at a time when security agencies are working to address real threats.
While exposing the staged kidnapping in Ekpoma, the Edo State Police Command also recorded what it described as a significant operational breakthrough in Ubiaja, further underlining its renewed focus on aggressive crime prevention.
In a coordinated operation, the Divisional Police Officer in Ubiaja personally led a bush-combing exercise around Akwocha Camp and adjoining forest corridors. The operation was carried out in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian military and operatives of the Edo State Security Corps, reflecting growing inter-agency cooperation in tackling criminal networks.
The police revealed that the operation followed actionable intelligence generated through aerial surveillance by a drone squadron. The surveillance identified a concealed enclave deep within the forest, suspected to be a kidnapping camp and logistics base used by criminal elements operating in the area.
When security forces stormed the location, eleven male suspects believed to be members of an organised kidnapping syndicate were arrested. A cache of weapons and other items was recovered at the scene, reinforcing police claims that the forest hideout served as a base for violent criminal activities.
Police authorities said the arrests and recoveries represent a major disruption of kidnapping operations in the area and demonstrate the effectiveness of combining technology, intelligence gathering, and ground operations. The suspects are currently undergoing investigation to determine the full extent of their activities, possible accomplices, and links to other criminal incidents within and outside Edo State.
CP Agbonika reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining technology-driven policing, aggressive forest domination strategies, and intelligence-led operations to dismantle criminal networks across the state. He assured residents that the police would continue to adapt their tactics to emerging threats while maintaining close collaboration with sister security agencies.
The Commissioner also appealed to residents to remain law-abiding and to support the police by providing timely and credible information, noting that public cooperation remains critical to effective crime prevention. He emphasized that while the Command is determined to confront kidnappers, armed robbers, and other criminal elements, it will also not hesitate to prosecute individuals who deliberately mislead security agencies through false reports.
The recent developments come amid heightened public concern over insecurity in parts of Edo State, particularly following protests and reports of kidnapping in several communities. Security analysts say the swift exposure of the staged kidnapping in Ekpoma and the successful raid on the forest enclave in Ubiaja may help rebuild public confidence if sustained.
As investigations continue, the Edo State Police Command has reaffirmed its resolve to ensure the safety of lives and property, urging residents to remain vigilant while trusting that security agencies are intensifying efforts to keep communities safe.
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