Operatives of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC), working with local hunters and vigilantes, have successfully rescued a 12-year-old girl who was kidnapped in the Ayogwiri community, located in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The victim, identified as Blessing Anani, was abducted on October 10, 2025, while returning from the farm alongside her mother and other women. The attackers, suspected to be kidnappers, ambushed the group, injured some of the women, and took the girl into the forest.
The breakthrough came after several days of search operations led by the ESSC and local security groups. Deputy Corps Commander (Operations), Richard Balogun, confirmed the rescue in Benin City.
“Shortly after the abduction, the vigilantes mobilised for bush combing with the aim of rescuing the victim unhurt,” Balogun said.
According to him, intelligence reports indicated that the kidnappers had moved the girl to a forest in Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area, where they were planning to ferry her across the River Niger to Idah, in Kogi State.
“The armed operatives acted quickly on the information, stormed the location, and rescued the girl unharmed,” he said.
“One key suspect involved in the abduction was also arrested at the scene.”
In a shocking twist, the arrested suspect whose name was not released confessed that the abduction of the 12-year-old girl was not the original plan.
According to him, their actual target was a wealthy man in the Ayogwiri community, based on a tip-off from a resident who allegedly commissioned the operation.
“We were told by the informant that the man had money, a house, and a car,” the suspect reportedly told investigators.
“But when we couldn’t get him, we decided to take the girl instead.”
The suspect’s statement has raised concerns about the growing involvement of local informants in criminal activities, and the possibility of more coordinated attacks in rural communities.
Meanwhile, the victim’s mother and other women managed to escape, though some of them sustained injuries during the attack. The abductors later demanded a ₦5 million ransom from the girl’s family.
Fortunately, the joint rescue effort stopped any payment from being made, and the child was brought back safely.
In a separate operation, the ESSC also rescued a housewife who had been abducted from her farm in Amedokhian, a community in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area.
Balogun explained that the woman was also taken into the forest by her abductors, who immediately started demanding ransom from her family. But again, the ESSC and local vigilantes moved swiftly, tracked the location, and rescued her without incident or payment.
“She was rescued unhurt and reunited with her family,” Balogun confirmed.
The Edo State Government has in recent years strengthened support for local security groups, particularly the ESSC and vigilante networks, to tackle rising cases of kidnapping, banditry, and armed robbery, especially in rural and riverine areas.
Their success in recent operations has drawn praise from community leaders and residents who see these local efforts as more effective than waiting for federal forces.
Like many states across Nigeria, Edo has witnessed a surge in kidnapping cases, with criminals targeting farmers, schoolchildren, travellers, and even religious leaders. Most victims are taken deep into forests, where abductors operate with limited interference.
The Ayogwiri forest area, which borders the River Niger, is known to be part of the route used by criminals to transport hostages across state lines particularly into parts of Kogi State.
The successful interception of the kidnappers before they crossed the river is seen as a major win for Edo’s local security architecture.
Authorities say the rescued girl is currently receiving medical and psychological support, and investigations are ongoing to track down the rest of the gang and the alleged informant.
“The fight against kidnapping is a collective responsibility,” Balogun added.
“With community support, we can keep our people safe.”
