Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested four suspects in connection with the recovery of two AK-47 rifles and two magazines loaded with 33 rounds of live ammunition in conflict-affected communities in Edo State.
The development was disclosed by the Command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, in a statement issued on Monday, March 2, 2026, in Benin City.
According to the police, the suspects — Jabir Saleh, Musa Lawal also known as Gambo, Gaddafi Iliyasu and Salau Haliru — were apprehended in Uselu and Ahor communities in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area.
The spokesperson explained that the affected communities had been experiencing communal unrest, with reports of attacks and destruction of property, forcing residents of Ahor and Uselu to flee their homes.
The statement read, “In a swift response to the situation, the Commissioner of Police deployed an intervention squad on the 18/02/2026. Not long after, the enhanced intelligence driven surveillance yielded fruit as operations led to the arrest and recovery of 2 AK-47 rifles.
“Further more, peace has been restored to the conflict ridden communities as residents have started returning home due to the assurance of their safety. The Command calls for sustained partnership to ensure peaceful coexistence in the state.
“Following credible intelligence on the activities of criminal elements in parts of the Ahor axis, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, Monday Agbonika, ordered the immediate deployment of tactical teams to the affected community to reinforce security and flush out hoodlums.
“Acting on this directive, combined teams of operatives stormed and thoroughly combed the entire community, ransacking identified flashpoints and hideouts in a carefully coordinated, intelligence-led operation supervised by the Divisional Police Officer.
“The sustained presence and strategic sweep of the area led to the interception and arrest of four suspects”, she said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has urged displaced residents to return to their homes and resume lawful activities, assuring them of adequate security measures.
He reiterated the Command’s resolve to clamp down on violence and criminality, warning that individuals or groups threatening peace in the state would face the full weight of the law.
“The Command remains committed to sustaining aggressive intelligence-driven operations to ensure lasting peace across the state,” he added.
