In a coordinated security operation, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, has dismantled several criminal hideouts in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, arresting 70 suspects and rescuing kidnapped victims.
The operation, carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS), followed a directive from the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, to neutralize criminal networks engaged in kidnapping, rape, and other violent crimes in the region.
According to a statement released by CSC Afolabi Babawale, National Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja, the operation was designed as part of a sustained offensive against criminals posing as illegal miners and charcoal dealers who have been using their trade as cover for abduction activities around the Okpella axis.
The Commander of the CG’s SIS, Commandant AS Dandaura, JP, explained that the clearance operation was conducted in partnership with the Nigerian Army and with the support of BUA International Cement Company, whose General Manager, Mr. Richard Gidado, joined the team on the field. The joint effort was in response to the recent killing of eight security personnel attached to the company by armed assailants operating within the area.
During the intensive raid, security operatives uncovered and destroyed several camps believed to have been used as detention centers for kidnapped victims. One of the rescued hostages, Mrs. Agbe Martha, recounted her ordeal, explaining that she and her sister-in-law were abducted while working on their rice farm in the Ichoke area of Itsukwi community. The victims were held captive for seven days, tortured, and threatened as their abductors demanded a ₦30 million ransom for their release.
The Ogei-Ochi III of Itsukwi Kingdom, His Royal Highness Usman Suleiman, praised the NSCDC for its swift and decisive action, describing the intervention as a restoration of peace and confidence among the people of the community. He lauded Prof. Audi’s leadership, calling his approach “pragmatic, result-oriented, and deeply reassuring.”
Commandant Dandaura reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to sustained security operations across Edo State and beyond, noting that further investigations and prosecutions are already underway. He emphasized that the success of the Okpella mission highlights the critical role of inter-agency cooperation in addressing Nigeria’s internal security challenges.
“This operation has once again shown that when security agencies work together with purpose and intelligence, we can dismantle even the most organized criminal networks,” Dandaura stated.
The NSCDC reiterated its resolve to strengthen surveillance and intelligence-sharing mechanisms aimed at preventing the reemergence of criminal gangs in the region, assuring residents of continuous efforts to protect lives, property, and public peace.
