Nigeria Police Rescue 9 in First-Ever Drone Operation

Nine kidnapping victims walked free after Nigerian police used combat drones to pinpoint their captors' hideout deep in Edo State forest. Among those rescued: five children who spent a terrifying night in captivity before dawn broke with the sound of approaching officers.

The drama began when kidnappers struck Egbojo Ikabigbo community in Jattu on January 8, 2026. Local police immediately mobilized alongside vigilantes and hunters, but the dense forest made traditional tracking nearly impossible.

That's when Commissioner Monday Agbonika made a bold call. He activated the Eagle Combat Drone Unit for its first rescue mission ever, sending eyes in the sky where ground teams couldn't safely venture.

At 4:25 a.m. on January 9, the drone located the kidnappers' camp through real-time aerial surveillance. Ground troops moved in fast. The kidnappers fled so quickly they abandoned two homemade AK-49 rifles and all nine hostages: one man, three women, and five children, all unhurt.

The Ripple Effect

This single mission could reshape how Nigerian police fight kidnapping, a crime that has plagued rural communities for years. The same technology guiding the drone over Edo forests can protect countless other families across Nigeria's 36 states.

Edo police didn't stop there. The same week brought more wins: officers recovered a Toyota Yaris stolen at gunpoint in Benin City, arrested seven armed robbery gang members linked to a murder, and dismantled a child trafficking ring that netted a rescued newborn and N1.4 million in recovered funds.

The rescued baby came from Uromi, where alert citizens tipped off police about suspicious activity. That single phone call saved a life and put traffickers behind bars.

Police spokesperson ASP Eno Ikoedem called the drone operation a milestone that proves technology and community cooperation can beat even the most entrenched criminal networks. Commissioner Agbonika urged residents to keep sharing information, promising the aggressive crackdown on crime will continue.

For nine people who thought they might never see home again, technology became their unlikely hero in the predawn darkness.