The Edo State Police Command has arrested three suspects linked to the abduction of a medical doctor, Abu Babatunde, and the killing of his younger brother.
The command said the arrests were made following intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling kidnapping syndicates operating in Auchi and neighbouring communities.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said detectives had recorded significant progress in the ongoing investigation through sustained surveillance and coordinated field actions.
According to the police, the first arrest was made on February 3, 2026, when operatives of the Auchi Division, working alongside local hunters and vigilante groups, intercepted a suspect, identified as Saminu Kawujie, within the Warake Forest axis.
Items recovered from the suspect during a search included two knives, two mobile phones, a UBA Automated Teller Machine card and the sum of N20,250.
Ikoedem said an identification parade was subsequently conducted, during which Kawujie was reportedly identified as one of those involved in the abduction of the doctor.
The statement added that further arrests were made as investigations continued, bringing the number of suspects in custody to three.
The Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, assured residents of the state that the command remained committed to cracking down on kidnapping and other violent crimes, noting that intensive bush-combing operations and intelligence-led policing were ongoing across flashpoints.
The police boss urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with credible information to aid crime prevention and detection.