In response to the abduction of three seminarians in Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area, the Edo State Police Command has ordered the immediate deployment of tactical teams to secure their release and restore calm to the area.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Moses Yamu, confirmed the deployment in a statement issued in Benin City on Saturday. According to him, the teams consist of operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Intelligence Department.

The deployment follows a violent attack on the Immaculate Conception Junior Seminary in Ivianokpodi on the night of July 10, 2025. Armed men suspected to be kidnappers stormed the seminary around 9 p.m., abducting three seminarians and killing a Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer.

The slain officer, identified as Chris Awenegiemhe, was one of three NSCDC personnel assigned to protect the seminary. His death has sparked outrage and heightened concerns about the safety of religious institutions in the region.

Speaking on the development, SP Yamu said the tactical teams have been tasked to work in collaboration with other security agencies, local vigilantes, and hunters to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the arrest of those responsible for the attack.

He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, personally visited the scene of the incident on Friday to assess the situation, sympathize with the affected community, and reinforce the Command’s resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Describing the attack as a “senseless and barbaric assault” on a place of worship and young innocent lives, the Police Commissioner pledged that the Command would not rest until the abductors are apprehended and prosecuted.

“The Command commiserates with the family of the fallen NSCDC officer, the leadership of the NSCDC, the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, and the families of the kidnapped seminarians during this trying time,” the statement read.

Reassuring the public of its commitment to protecting lives and property, the police urged residents to remain calm and assist with useful and credible information that could aid the ongoing rescue operations.