The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of nine kidnapped victims from two separate incidents in the state, including three passengers from a recent attack on a GUO transport bus.

In a statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, the police disclosed that five of the victims were abducted along the Benin–Lagos Expressway but have now been safely rescued.

According to the statement, the operation followed the swift deployment of tactical teams, intelligence assets, and aerial surveillance ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika.

“The Edo State Police Command is pleased to inform the general public that all five victims abducted during the recent kidnapping incident along the Benin–Lagos Expressway have been successfully rescued alive,” the statement read.

The Command added that sustained bush-combing operations and strategic pressure mounted on the kidnappers forced them to abandon their captives. The rescued victims have since received medical care and have been reunited with their families.

In a related development, four other victims who had been held earlier this month in captivity within the Imiegba forest in Agenebode were also freed, bringing the total number of rescued persons to nine.

The police reassured residents and commuters that security presence along the Benin–Lagos corridor and surrounding communities has been significantly reinforced. It noted that tactical and intelligence-driven operations are ongoing to track down those responsible.

“We are confident that all those involved will be tracked down and brought to justice in the shortest possible time,” the Command stated.

The rescue follows a recent attack by suspected kidnappers who ambushed a commercial bus travelling from Lagos to the eastern part of the country. The assailants were said to have shot dead the driver before abducting several passengers into the bush.