The Edo State Police Command has rescued a six-month-old baby allegedly stolen from the State and taken to Imo State, with suspects linked to the incident arrested.
The command disclosed this on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, during a press briefing by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Patrick Daaor.
According to the command, operatives of the Gender and Family Unit tracked the stolen child to Imo State and successfully recovered the baby.
The child has since been reunited with the family, while the suspects arrested in connection with the alleged abduction remain in custody as investigation continues.
The development was among several operational successes recorded by the command in the past week as part of its intelligence-led operations against criminal elements across Edo State.
The police also disclosed that a one-week joint clearance operation had been conducted across parts of Edo North to dislodge suspected criminals and destroy their forest hideouts.
The operation, according to the command, has helped to restore relative calm in the affected areas, with no reported kidnapping incident recorded within the period.
In another major breakthrough, operatives of the Otuo Division arrested seven suspected members of a notorious cult group during an intelligence-driven operation aimed at curbing cult-related activities in the area.
The command also arrested suspects allegedly involved in stripping a young girl and circulating the material on social media around the Ekiadolor axis.
The suspects are currently being investigated, with the police warning that anyone found culpable would face prosecution.
Meanwhile, the command said it has arrested a 37-year-old man over the alleged rape of a 70-year-old woman in Igueben.
The suspect remains in police custody while investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged offence.
The command assured that the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law after the conclusion of investigations.
The Commissioner of Police urged residents to provide the police with credible and timely information to assist ongoing operations against kidnappers, cultists and other criminal elements.
Daaor also warned parents and young people against cultism and criminal associations, stressing the need for greater vigilance and cooperation with security agencies.
He further cautioned members of the public against using social media to humiliate, threaten, expose or sexually violate others, stressing that sexual violence remains a criminal offence regardless of the platform used.
The latest operations, the command said, reflect its continued efforts to protect lives and property and maintain pressure on criminal networks operating across Edo State.
