Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested four suspects in connection with the communal conflict between Uselu and Ahor communities in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, noting that the suspects were apprehended during a coordinated police operation in the troubled communities.
The arrested suspects were identified as Jabir Saleh, Musa Lawal, also known as Gambo, Gaddafi Iliyasu, and Salau Haliru. According to the police, two AK-47 rifles and two magazines loaded with 33 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from them.
Ikoedem explained that the Uselu and Ahor communities had recently been embroiled in violent clashes, with reports of attacks and destruction of property, forcing many residents to flee their homes.
“In a swift response to the situation, the Commissioner of Police deployed an intervention squad on February 18, 2026.”
The enhanced intelligence-driven surveillance soon yielded results as operatives arrested the suspects and recovered two AK-47 rifles,” the statement read.
She added that, acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, combined teams of operatives stormed and thoroughly combed identified flashpoints and hideouts in a carefully coordinated, intelligence-led operation supervised by the Divisional Police Officer.
The sustained presence of security personnel and strategic sweep of the area led to the interception and arrest of the four suspects, while normalcy has gradually returned to the communities. Residents who fled the crisis have begun returning home following assurances of adequate security.
The CP called on displaced residents to return to their homes and lawful businesses, assuring them that sufficient security measures had been put in place to guarantee their safety.
He reiterated that the command would not tolerate any form of violence or criminality in the state, warning that individuals or groups threatening the peace would be decisively dealt with in accordance with the law.
Ikoedem said preliminary investigations were ongoing and that the suspects would be charged in court upon conclusion of the investigation.
The police command also reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining aggressive, intelligence-driven operations to ensure lasting peace across Edo State.
