Troops of the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, have rescued a 50-year-old farmer, Mr Lucky Egbiki, who was abducted from his farm in Okehussan, Ubiaja, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Egbiki was rescued during an intelligence-driven operation at about 6 p.m. on August 6, 2026, after troops and police personnel used ransom negotiations to lure the kidnappers to a predetermined location at Onogholo in the area.
According to a statement by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, one of the kidnappers who arrived to collect the ransom was neutralised by the troops, while other members of the gang fled into the surrounding forest, with some believed to have sustained gunshot wounds.
The troops subsequently rescued Egbiki unhurt and recovered the N1.5 million ransom. He was handed over to his family after
preliminary debriefing and medical assessment and was confirmed to be in stable condition.In a follow-up clearance operation conducted on August 7 and 8, troops combed the surrounding forest in search of the fleeing suspects but made no further contact with them.
The Commander, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their proactiveness, courage and professionalism displayed during the operation.
He reassured the people of Edo State that the Brigade would continue to apply sustained pressure on kidnappers and other criminal elements operating within its area of responsibility.
The Commander further affirmed that troops would sustain aggressive and intelligence-led operations aimed at denying criminal elements safe havens, protecting lives and property, and creating a secure environment for farming and other legitimate economic activities across Edo State.
He also urged residents to continue providing timely, credible and actionable information to security agencies, noting that such support remains vital to sustaining operational successes and enhancing security across the state.
