A 70-year-old man, Jonah Owobu, has been rescued in Edo State after being abducted from his farm earlier in the week, in an operation carried out by a joint security team made up of police officers, military personnel, local hunters, and members of the Edo State Security Corps.
According to the state police command, the victim, a resident of Uwalo Oke in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area, went missing on April 20, 2026, after failing to return home from his farm. His wife later reported the incident to the Amedokhian Divisional Police Headquarters the following day.
Shortly after the report was made, the family also received a call from the abductors demanding a ransom of N30 million for his release.
Police spokesperson ASP Eno Ikoedem said security operatives immediately launched a coordinated search-and-rescue mission across nearby forest areas. During the operation, officers recovered the victim’s abandoned motorcycle and personal items, which helped guide the search deeper into the forest.
The team eventually traced the suspected kidnappers’ hideout, but the attackers fled into the bush upon sighting the advancing operatives, leaving the victim behind.
He was rescued unharmed and has since been reunited with his family, while security forces continue a manhunt for the fleeing suspects.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo State reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes, assuring residents that ongoing operations will be sustained and urging the public to continue providing useful intelligence to security agencies.
