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"Best, You Are Wanted": Security Operatives Raid Amah Forest Hideout, Arrest Two, Recover Charms and Army Uniform
A coordinated security operation in the dense forests of Etsako West Local Government Area has dealt a significant blow to a kidnapping syndicate operating across Edo State. In the early hours of Saturday, April 26, 2026, a combined team of the Edo State Special Security Squad, the Edo State Security Corps, and the Nigeria Police Force stormed a suspected kidnappers' hideout deep within the Amah community forest, arresting two suspects and recovering incriminating items including charms and a Nigerian Army uniform. A notorious kingpin identified simply as "Best" escaped the dragnet and has been declared wanted by security agencies.
The operation, led by Principal Security Officer Saturday Okoh, began with operatives assembling at Eko-Waya community in Esan Central Local Government Area before advancing into the forest location. After hours of combing the dense terrain, the team located a mud house serving as the operational base of the syndicate. Two suspects — described as foot soldiers — were apprehended at the scene. They claimed to be from Plateau State and revealed that at least twelve individuals were operating from the hideout under the direction of the wanted kingpin.
"Best": The Manhunt for a Shadowy Kingpin
Addressing journalists shortly after the raid, the spokesperson for the Special Security Squad, Eribo Enwata, confirmed that the operation followed credible intelligence on the activities of a suspected kidnapping mastermind operating under the mononym "Best." "We received a tip-off that a suspected mastermind of kidnapping in this area, identified simply as Best, has been operating from a hideout within this forest," Enwata disclosed. He declared the suspect wanted and assured the public that security agencies were intensifying efforts to track him down. "He cannot run forever. We will get him," Enwata added.
The Zonal Commander of the Edo State Security Corps, Joel Aidamebor, painted an even more disturbing picture of the wanted kingpin's operations. According to Aidamebor, Best has been actively recruiting kidnappers from various parts of the country and embedding them in forest hideouts across multiple locations in Edo State. The two arrested suspects, who told journalists after their capture that they were recruited and brought in from Plateau State by Best, appear to be foot soldiers in a wider cross‑state criminal enterprise. "Dismantling such networks remains a top priority for the security architecture in Edo," Aidamebor stated.
Charms, Army Uniform, and a House That Will Be Razed
Among the items discovered in the mud‑house hideout were charms — ritual objects commonly found in the possession of kidnapping gangs who believe they confer supernatural protection — and a Nigerian Army uniform. The presence of military apparel raises troubling questions about how such items find their way into criminal hands: whether through theft, black‑market purchase, or infiltration of security institutions by criminal elements. The discovery adds a layer of urgency to the ongoing investigation.
Enwata confirmed that the identified hideout would be demolished in the coming days to prevent further criminal use. The policy of demolishing kidnappers' dens is not new in Edo — it has been applied in previous operations as a deterrent and a signal that the state will not permit such infrastructure to remain standing. "We are sending a message: there is no safe haven for criminals in Edo," Enwata said.
The Okpebholo Doctrine: Zero Tolerance in Practice
The Amah forest raid represents the latest enforcement action under a governor who has placed the fight against kidnapping at the centre of his administration's security agenda. Since taking office, Governor Monday Okpebholo has consistently articulated a zero‑tolerance stance on kidnapping, cultism, and violent crime. In 2025, he publicly vowed to sign death warrants for convicted kidnappers, describing his administration's approach in uncompromising terms: "We will deal ruthlessly with all criminal elements."
To back that rhetoric, the administration has invested in expanding the operational capacity of the Edo State Security Corps and the Special Security Squad, and in January 2026 distributed ten new patrol vehicles to security agencies operating in the Edo Central Senatorial District. The Amah forest operation — involving a multi‑agency team, intelligence‑led deployment, and a sustained combing operation — reflects a maturing security architecture, even if the escape of the kingpin himself underscores the limits of what any single raid can achieve.
A Broader Context: Kidnapping Syndicates and Cross‑State Networks
The allegation that Best has been recruiting operatives from other states into Edo's forests highlights a deeply worrying trend: the professionalisation and cross‑border expansion of kidnapping syndicates. The two arrested suspects, who travelled from Plateau State to work as foot soldiers in Etsako West, are emblematic of a criminal labour market in which kidnappers are no longer exclusively local actors but mercenaries hired for specific operations.
Enwata's call to community leaders — "Security is a collective responsibility" — is more than a platitude. Forests and remote communities provide the physical cover that syndicates need to operate. Without the active cooperation of residents in reporting suspicious movements, stranger arrivals, and unusual activity, security agencies are fighting with one arm tied behind their backs. The Amah operation succeeded because intelligence flowed; the next one depends on whether residents in communities across Etsako West are willing and able to provide it.
A Victory, But Best Remains at Large
The Amah forest raid is an unambiguous operational success: two foot soldiers arrested, a hideout uncovered and marked for demolition, and incriminating items recovered. But the escape of Best, the alleged mastermind, means the job is only half done. As long as the kingpin remains free, the network he built retains its capacity to regroup, recruit, and reoffend. The security agencies have declared him wanted; the question now is whether the intelligence and operational momentum that led to Saturday's raid can be sustained long enough to put Best in handcuffs — and, ultimately, before a court of law.
Stay tuned to Unuevbo TV for more in‑depth reporting on crime, enforcement, and community safety across Edo State.
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