The Police Command in Edo state says it has rescued nine victims from kidnappers in a landmark drone-led operation in the state.
The Command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed in a statement yesterday that this followed a report of a kidnapping incident in the Egbojo Ikabigbo community in Jattu, Etsako-West local government area.
She said the report prompted the immediate deployment of the Divisional Police Officer and his team to the area, working alongside vigilantes and hunters.
Ms. Ikoedem explained that the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, subsequently activated the Eagle Combat Drone Unit for its first-ever rescue mission.
She said: “In the early hours of January 9, 2026, at about 4:25 a.m., the kidnappers’ camp was successfully located through real-time aerial intelligence provided by the drone unit.
“Ground troops stormed the camp, forcing the kidnappers to flee and abandon two locally-fabricated AK-49 rifles. The victims – one adult male, three adult females, and five children – were rescued unhurt”.
The Command’s spokesperson described the operation as a milestone that underscored the growing role of technology in modern policing in Edo state.
Beyond the rescue, she disclosed that the Command also recorded multiple arrests and recoveries in a series of coordinated security operations across the state.
Ms. Ikoedem said CP Agbonika had assured residents of the state that the Command would sustain its aggressive approach against criminal elements.
