Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Edo State have successfully rescued a 15-year-old girl who was abducted while running a simple errand in Ewohimi, Esan South-East Local Government Area.
The victim, Glory Odigie, was safely recovered following a rapid, intelligence-driven operation, with two young suspects now in custody in connection with the case.
Edo State NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Saidi Akintayo, announced the positive outcome on Saturday during a news briefing in Benin City. He explained that the command received a distress report on June 19 from the victim’s brother, Mr. Odion Odigie, stating that his younger sister had left home the previous day to buy a phone charging cord but never returned.
Shortly after she went missing, the family began receiving threatening calls from unknown individuals claiming they had abducted the teenager and demanding N800,000 as ransom. The callers specifically warned the family against reporting the matter to security agencies.
“Upon receiving the report, we immediately activated our intelligence and operational networks,” Akintayo said. Through sustained strategic communication, technical analysis, community intelligence, and tactical deployment, operatives were able to identify persons of interest in the area.
The investigation first led to the arrest of 16-year-old Freedom Saturday, who provided information that helped locate and arrest 21-year-old Thankgod Oriabor at Oghu Community in Ewohimi. The young victim was found and rescued unharmed during the operation.
“The girl is safe and is currently receiving necessary medical and psychological attention,” the commandant assured. Both suspects remain in NSCDC custody, and preliminary investigations have already produced valuable leads. The case will be formally transferred for further processing in accordance with the law.
Akintayo commended the officers involved for their professionalism, dedication, and timely response, which ensured the victim’s safe return. He also expressed appreciation to the Edo State Government under Governor Monday Okpebholo for its continued support of security agencies and for strengthening the state’s overall security framework.
“I sincerely appreciate Governor Okpebholo’s resolute commitment to fighting kidnapping, cultism, and all forms of criminality in the state,” he said.
The commandant further thanked sister security agencies for their collaboration and intelligence sharing. He issued a strong warning to criminal elements that Edo State would remain hostile to all forms of lawlessness and reiterated the NSCDC’s dedication to intelligence-led operations.
In closing, Akintayo called on residents to actively support security efforts by providing timely and credible information, emphasizing that maintaining safety is a shared responsibility between citizens and law enforcement agencies.