The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo State Command, has arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged abduction and sexual assault of a teenage girl in Ewohimi, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State, and rescued the victim, who is now in protective care.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Dr Patrick Akhere Ebojele, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo.
According to the statement, the matter came to light on June 19, 2026, when one Odion Enokhimion reported to the NSCDC Ewohimi Division that his sister had gone missing. The girl had allegedly been taken by unknown persons the previous day.
Operatives launched an immediate investigation, which led to the arrest of two Ewohimi residents — Orhiabor ThankGod, 20, and Saturday Freedom, 16.
The suspects allegedly reached out to the victim’s family after the abduction and demanded a ransom, initially pegging the sum at ₦800,000 before bringing it down to ₦300,000. Investigators recovered the ransom conversations from a mobile phone belonging to one of the suspects, and a bank account allegedly linked to the pair was also traced in the course of the investigation.
A medical examination at the Edo State Sexual Assault Referral Centre — the Sen. Daisy Ehanire Danjuma Vivian Centre in Benin City — confirmed that the victim was sexually assaulted. She has since received medical treatment and professional counselling at the facility.
Both suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court upon the completion of investigations.
The arrest is part of broader efforts by Edo State security agencies to crack down on violent crimes, particularly those targeting women and children.
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