Paul Idehen, one of the victims of the kidnapping syndicate that abducted a woman at the vegetable market in Edo State has narrated how the gang changed the colour and registration number of his Lexus SUV after collecting it as part of the ransom.

Speaking exclusively to DAILY POST in Benin shortly after the parade of 32-year-old Isaac Marvellous – one of the suspects arrested in connection with the incident by the Edo State Police Command on June 18, 2026 – Idehen also recounted how he was able to identify and recover the vehicle.

Recalls that Idehen was kidnapped on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at his wife’s pharmacy shop opposite the Ekehuan Army Barracks, Benin City and was released on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 after paying N5.5 million. The kidnappers also collected his wedding ring and the vehicle as ransom.

While parading the suspects and others arrested for various crimes, the Commisisoner in Edo State, Monday Agbonika said Isaac Marvellous and members of his gang kidnapped a woman at the vegetable market on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

Agbonika listed the items recovered from the suspect after the arrest to include a red Lexus RX 350 with registration number EKP 848 AE, which the suspect confessed was used in carrying out the kidnapping operation.

Others are one pump-action shotgun, two live cartridges, N2.2million cash and one motorcycle suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Speaking on how he was able to recognise the vehicle 57 days after it was taken away from him, Idehen said, “I had inscribed several identifying marks inside the SUV. Yesterday, I saw a video that went viral. I reported the incident to the police when the kidnappers took the vehicle away. After reporting it, I did everything possible to ensure I got the car back.

“At a point, I almost gave up because from April till now, it is almost two months. I had already resigned myself to the fact that the car was gone forever and decided to focus on other things.

“I encouraged myself that since I was alive, I should let the car go. But yesterday morning, or the day before, I saw the viral video of the kidnapping at the vegetable market. Immediately I saw the vehicle, my instinct told me it was my car.

“When they opened the back seat, I noticed the interior was black. My car has a black interior. The red colour was not the original colour of the vehicle. It was originally grey before they repainted it.

“But I just knew it was my car, and my instinct kept telling me that if kidnappers were using such a vehicle for their operations, it was likely mine.”

Idehen explained that his conviction  prompted him to visit the Edo State Police Command headquarters.

He said before going to the command, he had informed a friend about the viral video and his suspicion that the vehicle belonged to him.

He said he also sought advice on the documents and information he would need to prove ownership since both the colour and registration number had been altered.

Idehen posited that he told his friend that the police investigation should go beyond the colour and the registration number of the vehicle.

“Surprisingly, early this morning, another friend called to inform me that some suspected kidnappers had been arrested at a hotel and that a red Lexus had been recovered. He advised me to come and check whether it was mine.

“I immediately said, ‘Jesus, that’s my car.’ So, I rushed to the State Police Command. When I got there, I was told the vehicle had been taken to Zone 5.The moment I got there, I saw the car,” he added.

Asked how he confirmed ownership of the vehicle, Idehen said: “I have several markings inside the vehicle. I also have the chassis number and all the vehicle documents. I knew they could not alter the chassis number.

“I only needed personal conviction that it was truly my car. I told the officers that there was a mark inside the boot, another at the front, and several others in different parts of the vehicle. I described each of them.

“When we opened the vehicle, they found all the markings exactly where I said they would be. That was when they concluded that it was indeed my car. They also checked the chassis number, which matched the one stored on my phone.”

Idehen commended the Nigeria Police and other security agencies for their efforts in recovering the vehicle.

He also thanked God for making the recovery possible and praised Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo for providing an enabling environment for security agencies to support the government’s fight against kidnapping and cultism in the state.

A woman identified as the wife of an Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, fighter has surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai with her two-month-old baby in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

This was made known in a post on X by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security expert in the Lake Chad region.

Zagazola explained that the woman, identified as Falmata Bakwai, surrendered to troops of the 19 Brigade at Cross Kauwa at about 10:15 a.m. on June 26.

He said that Falmata said she escaped from the ISWAP enclave at Dogon Chuku while her husband and other fighters were away from the camp.

According to him, during preliminary debriefing, she reportedly told the troops that deteriorating living conditions within the terrorist enclave, including severe shortages of food and other basic necessities, compelled her to flee.

The security expert added that she attributed the worsening humanitarian conditions in the camp to sustained military strangulation operations and aerial bombardments targeting terrorist hideouts.

“She and her infant have since been quarantined and provided with medical assistance in line with established operational procedures.

“The debriefing is ongoing, while arrangements are being made to transfer her to the Headquarters of Sector 3, Operation Hadin Kai/Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, for further investigation and profiling.

“The surrender reflects the sustained pressure being mounted on terrorist enclaves through coordinated ground and air operations across the North-East theatre,” he said.

Several traders were injured after a commercial vehicle reportedly struck a suspected landmine along the Sabon Birni–Kurawa Road in Sokoto State.

Bakatsine, a counter-insurgency expert in the North-West, wrote on X: “This morning, a commercial vehicle carrying traders reportedly struck a landmine allegedly planted by bandits loyal to Bello Turji along Sabon Birni–Kurawa road in Sokoto State.”

The post added that “the explosive device was believed to have been intended for troops responding to an operation in the area.”

The military personnel were not affected by the blast, while all the civilians in the vehicle survived.

“Fortunately, the soldiers were not affected, and there were no fatalities among the civilians. However, several passengers sustained injuries,” the post said.

The report has not yet been officially confirmed by the security authorities.