The decomposing bodies of two women abducted in Iyowa Community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, have been recovered from a forest in Ogwa Community. The victims, Mrs. Favour Nosakhare, 66, and one other woman, were among three women taken at gunpoint from their residence on May 9, 2026. The third victim, Miss Rejoice Otikpere, 26, remains missing. Mrs. Emmanuel Annabel Osasere, 28, is also unaccounted for.
Edo State Police Command confirmed the recovery on June 2, 2026, following an operation that led to the arrest of Musa Haruna, 23, a suspected member of a kidnapping and armed robbery gang. Haruna was apprehended with a gunshot wound and, during interrogation, confessed to his role in the abduction. He led police to the forest where the two bodies were found.
The abduction triggered a ransom demand delivered via video call, in which the women were seen being flogged and tortured. The incident prompted intensified operations by the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and the Drone Unit, involving aerial surveillance and intelligence gathering. On May 19, 2026, police engaged the gang in a gun battle near a powerline in the forest, recovering a blood-soaked jacket and spent AK-47 rounds.
Edo State Police spokesperson Eno Ikioedem confirmed the developments in a statement issued on Wednesday. Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika urged the public to provide actionable intelligence and pledged that the police would pursue all members of the syndicate until they are apprehended.
Musa Haruna led police to the bodies of two women after being arrested with a gunshot wound, yet the gang that abducted three women in Iyowa remains largely at large. The recovery of only two bodies and the continued disappearance of Miss Rejoice Otikpere and Mrs. Emmanuel Annabel Osasere expose the limits of the current operation. Residents of Ovia North-East are left under threat while the police focus on piecemeal arrests. The forest hideouts and repeated attacks along major roads suggest the syndicate operates with entrenched coordination.
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