By Rosemary Okoduwa
The Edo State Government has commended the swift intervention of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo State Command, which led to the arrest of two suspects and the rescue of a teenage girl who was abducted and sexually assaulted in Ewohimi, Esan South East Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Government, Dr. Patrick Ebojele, the government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting women, children and other vulnerable members of society, while warning perpetrators of violent crimes that there would be no hiding place for them in Edo State.
According to the statement, the incident was reported on June 19, 2026, when Mr. Odion Enokhimion lodged a complaint at the NSCDC Ewohimi Division over the disappearance of his teenage sister, who had allegedly been abducted a day earlier by unknown persons.
Acting on the report, operatives of the NSCDC immediately launched an investigation, which resulted in the arrest of two suspects identified as Orhiabor ThankGod, 20, and Saturday Freedom, 16, both residents of Ewohimi. The victim was successfully rescued and placed under protective care.
Preliminary investigations revealed that after abducting the teenager, the suspects allegedly contacted members of her family and demanded a ransom. They reportedly requested N800,000 before later reducing the amount to N300,000.
The statement disclosed that investigators traced and recovered conversations between the suspects and the victim’s relatives from a mobile phone belonging to one of the suspects. An account allegedly linked to the suspects was also identified during the investigation.
A medical examination conducted at the Edo State Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Sen. Daisy Ehanire Danjuma Vivian Centre, Benin City, confirmed that the victim had been sexually assaulted. She has since received medical treatment, psychosocial support and counselling from professionals at the centre.
Dr. Ebojele noted that the successful rescue of the victim and arrest of the suspects underscore the effectiveness of ongoing collaboration among security agencies in the state and the commitment of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration to combating crimes against women and children.
“The Edo State Government remains resolute in ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence, kidnapping and other violent crimes are brought to justice. We will continue to support security agencies and strengthen mechanisms for the protection of vulnerable persons across the state,” the statement said.
The NSCDC Edo State Command confirmed that the suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Discover more from DE-PATRIOT
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.