Police In Edo Recover Body Of 12-year-old Boy Kidnapped, Killed By Teenage Cousin, Other Suspects

By Idahosa Musa

Edo State Police Command said it has recovered the body of a12-year-old boy, Emiliano Egwunbare, who was allegedly kidnapped and killed by his 18-year-old cousin, Tega Emajuwa in collaboration with two other suspects.

Emajuwa, along with two friends, reportedly abducted young Emiliano on September 16, 2025, at Obagie Community in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.

According to reports, the suspect had lived with the victim’s parents for several months before allegedly committing the heinous act.

Sources revealed that after the abduction, the suspects contacted the boy’s parents and demanded ransom, which was paid.

“However, despite receiving the money, the kidnappers failed to release the child, prompting the distraught family to involve the police.”

“Through coordinated intelligence gathering, detectives from the Edo State Police Command tracked down Emajuwa and arrested him”, a source said.

Emajuwa was said to have confessed to the crime about a week later, leading to the arrest of two accomplices — Edugie Destiny (20) and Osayande Vincent (23).

Police sources disclosed that the suspects later took investigators to the spot where they dumped the victim’s body inside a well in the community.

It was also alleged that some of the boy’s vital organs had been harvested before he was killed.

Confirming the incident, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Command, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said the case was initially reported at Ogida Police Division before it was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Unit for detailed investigation.

She explained that sustained intelligence efforts led to the arrest of the three suspects, who confessed to the crime.

 “Sadly, during the course of investigation, the victim’s body was later discovered inside a well in Obagie Community.

“The remains were evacuated and deposited at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) mortuary for autopsy,” she said.

ASP Ikoedem also addressed a viral video circulating on social media in which the victim’s mother alleged that the suspects had been released.

She dismissed the claim as false, misleading, and unfounded.

“The suspects remained in lawful custody until they were charged to court on October 16, 2025, and have since been remanded for prosecution.

“The mother of the deceased was present in court during the proceedings,” the police spokesperson stated.