Edo Police Rescue Abducted Cattle Dealer, 'Oga Peter'...As CP Commends Security Agencies












Edo Police Rescue  Abducted Cattle Dealer, 'Oga Peter'

...As CP Commends Security Agencies 

Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin 



The Edo State Police Command has rescued an abducted cattle dealer, Peter Balogun, popularly known as “Oga Peter,” after an intensive joint forest operation.

Police say Balogun was kidnapped on July 7, 2026, along the Igarra–Auchi Expressway. 

Following his abduction, Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, pledged a full rescue operation and deployed tactical teams to the area.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Innocent Nkeamatara led the reinforcement team, including the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Violent Crime Response Unit, and Police Drone Unit.

The Inspector-General of Police also deployed a Police helicopter from Abuja for aerial surveillance and support.

However, the breakthrough came Wednesday, July 15, 2026, during clearance operations in Imoga Forest, according to a statement released by the police command 

Police say sustained ground pressure, drone surveillance, and repeated helicopter patrols forced the kidnappers to abandon Balogun and flee.

The victim told police the heavy security presence and aerial patrols created panic among his captors. 

He has received medical care and been reunited with his family.

Commissioner Agbonika has ordered the clearance operation expanded to all identified forests and criminal hideouts in the state, to dismantle kidnapping camps and arrest gang members.

He commended the Police Air Wing, Army, Edo State Security Corps, and local hunters for their role in the rescue, and urged residents to keep providing credible information.

ASP Eno Ikoedem, Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the rescue in a release on Thursday.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gunmen Abducts 18 Passengers In Benin-Auchi Highway, 16 Rescued

Image
Gunmen Abducts 18 Passengers  In Benin-Auchi Highway, 16 Rescued Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin  Wonder they say shall not cease, as at least 18 passengers travelling on the Benin-Auchi highway in Edo State were abducted by gunmen on Friday, 5th 2025. The victims were said to be heading to Abuja in a newly launched Edo Line bus when armed men stopped the vehicle and forced them into the bush. Police operatives later arrived at the scene after the attack. A video from the incident, which has gone viral on social media, showed vehicles lined up on both sides of the highway as panic spread among commuters. Confirming the incident on Saturday, Edo State police spokesperson, Moses Iyamu, said 16 of the kidnapped passengers had been rescued. “Sixteen of these passengers have been rescued safely while the rescue operation by Edo State Police in synergy with vigilantes and hunters continues,” Iyamu said. He added that the police have intensified a search-and-rescue mission to fre...
Read more

Edo LG Primary: APC Elects 18 Chairmanship, 192 Councillorship Candidates

Image
Edo LG Primary: APC Elects 18 Chairmanship, 192 Councillorship Candidates ...As Tenebe Urges Candidates To Build Transparent System  Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin  The All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State chapter has elected chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the forthcoming July 11, 2026 Local Government Elections in Edo state. The candidates were elected through a direct primary conducted on Friday, April 3, 2026, throughout the 18 Local Governments and the 192 Wards. The primary election was supervised by Hon. Abdullahi Bello, an official from the National Secretariat of the APC. In address, Hon Bello, the Kogi State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs recommended the electorate for the peaceful, orderliness and maturity displayed during the exercise. He said the primary election was rancour-free across the 192 wards and the 18 local governments, however, wished the candidates victory in the election. Given his openi...
Read more

Bishop Of Auchi, Dunia Blames Edo Police For Death Of Seminarian

Image
Bishop Of Auchi, Dunia Blames Edo Police For Death Of Seminarian  By Editor  The Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Dunia has described as false a report which quoted him as blaming Edo State Government for not doing enough to effect the release of the abducted priest, Rev. Philip Ekweli and a seminarian, Andrew Peter, 21, who was reportedly murdered. The priest was released at about 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2025, close to Amughe village, a few kilometres from Okpekpe town, North Ibie in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, ending ten days of captivity in the hands of his abductors. He is now receiving appropriate medical attention. Speaking on his mobile phone from his base in Auchi, Bishop Dunia said that the state government did it very best in handling the crisis situation but however had harsh words for men of the Edo State Police Command, who he accused of bungling the rescue efforts. He said: "I never criticized Edo State ...
Read more