The Edo State Police Command has recorded significant achievements in its fight against crime throughout the year, closing 2025 with the arrest of 821 suspects across the state.
A breakdown of the arrests from January to December shows that 39 were linked to armed robbery, 171 to kidnapping, 117 to murder, 62 to rape and sexual offences, 239 to cultism, 36 for unlawful possession of firearms, and 157 for various other offences.
The State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, disclosed this on Monday during the command’s year-end security review, which also highlighted measures put in place to ensure a peaceful Christmas and New Year celebration in the state.
He stated that the command made significant recoveries during the year, including 11 stolen vehicles, 188 firearms of different calibres, and 422 rounds of ammunition, describing these results as “a decisive push against organised crime and violent criminality.”
Agbonika attributed the successes to proactive, intelligence-driven policing, including intensified visibility patrols, strategic deployments, targeted stop-and-search operations, and sustained community engagement aimed at deterring crime and boosting public confidence.
“A major highlight of the command’s operations was a large-scale clearance in Edo North, personally led by the Commissioner of Police to deny criminal elements access to forests and other ungoverned spaces often used as hideouts.
“The operation, which ran from Saturday, 14 December to Saturday, 20 December 2025, was conducted with the approval and support of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, who authorised the deployment of police helicopters and drones from the Police Air Wing. The Edo State Government, under Governor Monday Okpebholo, provided critical logistical support.”
Agbonika stated that the operation combined ground forces with aerial surveillance and was carried out through strong inter-agency collaboration, involving the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade, the Nigerian Air Force 107 Air Maritime Group, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, forest guards, local vigilantes, and hunters. He assured that these clearance operations would continue even after the festive period.
While extending wishes for a peaceful and prosperous Christmas and New Year, the CP urged residents to remain vigilant, law-abiding, and cooperative with security agencies, emphasizing that maintaining security is a shared responsibility.
He also issued a warning over the reported disappearance of corpses from certain private morgues in the state, describing such acts as criminal, inhuman, and a grave violation of the dignity of the deceased and the grief of their families.
Agbonika vowed that anyone found responsible would face the full force of the law, and advised families to use government-owned mortuaries, where proper oversight is assured.
The commissioner further reiterated that the command’s 24-hour emergency lines remain active and urged residents to promptly report any suspicious activities as the state heads into the festive season.
