Quick action by a bus driver and passengers foils suspected child abduction in Benin City

Operatives of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) have arrested a 21-year-old man for allegedly abducting a four-year-old boy in Edo State.

The suspect, identified as ThankGod Destiny, was apprehended after a commercial bus driver and a female passenger raised an alarm over suspicious behavior in Benin City.

Confirming the incident in Benin on Thursday, January 8, 2026, the Deputy Corps Commander (Operations) of the ESSC, Richard Balogun, said the alleged abduction occurred on January 4, 2026, at Ikpoba Hill in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area.

According to Balogun, the boy’s mother had stepped out briefly with her child when the four-year-old suddenly went missing. Investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly whisked the child away and hurriedly boarded a commercial bus heading toward Kings Square.

“The bus driver noticed that the child bore no resemblance to the suspect,” Balogun said. “When questioned, the man gave conflicting explanations—first claiming the boy was sick and being taken to the hospital, and later saying he was going to buy shoes for the child.”

The inconsistent responses raised suspicion, prompting the driver and a female passenger to raise an alarm. ESSC operatives on patrol responded swiftly, arrested the suspect, and rescued the child unharmed.

Balogun confirmed that the boy has since been reunited with his family, while the suspect has been handed over to the Edo State Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.

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