The Edo State Police Command on Sunday confirmed the arrest of three members of the kidnap gang which abducted two brothers, Dr. Ibrahim Babatunde Abu and Tahir Abu. The police in a statement by the command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, disclosed that the three suspects were arrested in two separate occasions. Ikoedem disclosed that the first breakthrough came on February 3, 2026, when operatives of the Auchi Division, while conducting a routine bush-combing operation in collaboration with local hunters and vigilante groups, at Warake Forest following a lead on an intelligence, intercepted one Saminu Kawujie.
Items recovered from him include two knives, two mobile phones, one UBA ATM card, and the sum of N20,250. Recall that the Abu brothers were kidnapped after work at about 7.30 pm on January 2, 2026, at the gate of their residence, along City Pride Road, Igbira Camp in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the State. The kidnappers who demanded N200 million ransom, later killed the younger brother, Tahir, and insisted on collecting the sum of N100 million ransom for Babatunde. A hefty ransom was said to have been paid before the release of Babatunde. Ikoedem said: “An identification parade was conducted at the Police station and he was identified as one of the abductors of Dr Abu Babatunde.”Â
The two other suspects, Idris Abubakar and Sani Abubakar were arrested at the premises of the Auchi General Hospital where Dr. Abu works. It was gathered that one of the suspects had taken his daughter to the hospital for medical care when the doctor identified them as members of the gang responsible for his abduction and the killing of his younger brother during the incident. The source added that Dr. Tahir immediately alerted local security operatives who arrested the suspects before handing them over to the police.
They are now being detained at the Auchi Divisional Police Station for further investigation. The police statement said: “On 08/02/2026 at about 0900hrs, the Divisional Police Officer following a lead on the same case mobilised operatives to the Specialist Hospital, Auchi, where two suspects identified as Idris Abubakar ‘M’ and Sani Abubakar ‘M’, were apprehended at the hospital premises. “Both suspects have also been identified as part of the gang that abducted Dr. Babatunde on 02/01/2026. “Idris Abubakar was identified as the particular person who received ransom money for the release of Dr. Abu,” the statement added.Â
Ikoedem added that efforts have been intensified towards conducting a comprehensive and discreet investigation aimed at dismantling the entire notorious organised criminal network responsible for the kidnappings in Auchi and its environs. The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, Monday Agbonika, however, reassured members of the public of the command’s resolve to pursue all kidnapping cases to a logical conclusion and bring perpetrators to justice.
Felix Omoh-Asun
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