A wave of violence swept through Edo State over the weekend, leaving a trail of bloodshed and fear. In two separate but chilling incidents, suspected kidnappers killed eight operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and a civilian, abducted a Chinese expatriate, and attacked passenger vehicles on a major highway, taking 29 hostages.
Late Friday night, terror struck the BUA Cement facility in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area, when heavily armed assailants ambushed the premises, targeting five Chinese expatriates. A fierce gun battle erupted between the attackers and NSCDC personnel guarding the site. Despite valiant resistance, eight officers and an unidentified civilian lost their lives.
According to security sources, the kidnappers lay in wait near the company’s entrance around 10 p.m. and opened fire as the expatriates were leaving the premises. While four of the five targeted foreigners were successfully rescued by the NSCDC team, the armed group escaped into the nearby forest with one captive.
Several injured officers were evacuated from the scene and are currently receiving treatment. The Edo State Commandant of the NSCDC, Agun Gbenga, has since visited both the crime scene and the hospital where the wounded are being cared for.
NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Efosa Ogbebor, confirmed the attack, adding that a formal statement would be released by the Corps’ National Headquarters in Abuja.
In a separate incident earlier on Friday, gunmen struck along the Benin-Auchi road near the Sobe axis around 4:30 p.m., targeting travelers in an 18-seater bus belonging to the state-run New Edo Line and a Toyota Corolla. A total of 29 passengers were reportedly abducted and taken into the forest by force.
However, swift response by security forces—comprising police, military personnel, local vigilantes, and hunters—resulted in the rescue of 16 of the abducted individuals by Saturday.
Police spokesperson CSP Moses Yamu confirmed the rescue, stating, “Sixteen of the victims have been rescued so far, as search and rescue operations by the Command in collaboration with vigilantes and hunters continue.”
Yamu further assured the public that security agencies are intensifying efforts to locate and free the remaining captives.
The twin incidents have sparked widespread concern among residents and travelers in Edo State, highlighting the escalating threat of kidnappings and violence along key transport routes and around industrial installations.
Authorities have called for calm while promising increased patrols and intelligence-driven operations to flush out criminal elements from the region.
Investigations into both incidents are ongoing.
