The Edo State Police Command has launched an investigation into the alleged kidnapping and killing of a 12-year-old boy, Emiliano Egwunbare, by his 18-year-old cousin, Tega Emajuwa, in Obagie Community, Egor Local Government Area.
According to The Nation, Emajuwa, alongside two accomplices, allegedly abducted Emiliano on September 16, 2025. Reports indicate that Emajuwa had been living with the victim’s parents for several months before committing the crime. The suspects reportedly collected ransom from Emiliano’s parents but failed to release him.
Following the ransom payment, the police were alerted and, through intelligence gathering, tracked down and arrested Emajuwa. He allegedly confessed to the crime a week later, leading to the arrest of his accomplices — Edugie Destiny (20) and Osayande Vincent (23). Their confessions subsequently led investigators to the site where Emiliano’s body was recovered from a well.
Confirming the incident, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, dismissed rumors circulating on social media that the suspects had been released.
“The case was first reported at Ogida Police Division before being transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Unit in Benin for a thorough investigation,” Ikoedem said.
“Following sustained tactical and technical intelligence, operatives arrested three suspects — Tega Emajuwa, 18; Edugie Destiny, 20; and Osayande Vincent, 23 — all of whom made confessional statements linking them to the crime. Sadly, during the investigation, the victim’s body was found inside a well in Obagie Community. The remains were recovered and deposited at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) mortuary for autopsy.”
Addressing the viral video in which the victim’s mother claimed that the suspects had been released, Ikoedem clarified that the suspects remain in lawful custody and have been charged to court on October 16, 2025, where they were remanded for prosecution.
“The claim that the suspects have been released is false and misleading. The mother of the deceased was present in court during the proceedings,” the statement added.
