Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Edo State Police Command has arrested a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate and recovered the decomposing body of a 66‑year‑old woman, Mrs. Favour Nosakhare, who was abducted along with two other women from her residence in Iyowa Community, Ovia North‑East Local Government Area, on 9 May 2026. The arrest and grim discovery followed weeks of intensive intelligence‑led operations involving the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and the Police Drone Unit.
The three women – Mrs. Favour Nosakhare (66), Mrs. Emmanuel Annabel Osasere (28), and Miss Rejoice Otikpere (26) – were kidnapped from their home in the early hours of 9 May. Days later, the kidnappers contacted family members via a video call during which the victims were seen being brutally flogged and tortured while their captors demanded ransom. The disturbing footage galvanised police into sustained rescue operations.
On 19 May 2026, operatives tracked the gang to a location along a powerline deep inside the forest in Ovia North‑East. The suspects engaged police in a fierce gun duel but were overwhelmed by superior firepower, fleeing with gunshot injuries. A blood‑soaked jacket and expended AK‑47 ammunition were recovered from the scene, and surveillance was intensified.
The breakthrough came with the arrest of a 23‑year‑old suspect, Musa Haruna, who was found with a gunshot injury. During interrogation, Haruna confessed to his involvement and led operatives into a thick forest at Ogwa Community, Ovia North‑East LGA, where two decomposing bodies were recovered on 2 June 2026. One of the bodies was positively identified by the family as that of Mrs. Favour Nosakhare. The identity of the second body has not yet been confirmed, and the whereabouts of the two other abducted women – Mrs. Emmanuel Annabel Osasere and Miss Rejoice Otikpere – remain unknown.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, commended the operatives for their resilience and professionalism. He assured the public that the command is leaving no stone unturned until every member of the notorious syndicate is arrested and prosecuted. “We have intensified tactical and intelligence‑driven operations, and we are confident that the remaining suspects will be brought to justice soon,” the CP said.
The police have appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations. As of Wednesday, 3 June 2026, the manhunt for the remaining gang members continues, and the families of the still‑missing women await news of their fate.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com
📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News
🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew
📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments