The Edo State Police Command says it has recovered a six-month-old baby allegedly stolen and taken to Imo State, while suspects linked to the incident have been arrested.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikedem, disclosed this during a press briefing in Benin City on Wednesday, September 30, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daaor.

Ikedem said the child had been reunited with the family following the successful operation by operatives of the Gender and Family Unit.

She also announced the arrest of seven suspected cult members by operatives of the Otuo Police Division in an intelligence-led operation aimed at curbing cult-related activities in the area.

The Police spokesperson further disclosed that suspects linked to the stripping of a young girl and the subsequent circulation of the material on social media in the Ekiadolor axis had been arrested and were in custody, as investigations continued.

On sexual violence, Ikedem said the Command had taken into custody a 37-year-old man in connection with the alleged rape of a 70-year-old woman in Igueben, adding that the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law after investigations.

She also reported the successful conclusion of a week-long joint clearance operation across parts of Edo North, targeting criminal hideouts in forested areas.

According to her, the operation yielded positive results, with the affected areas remaining relatively calm and peaceful and no kidnapping incidents reported within the period.

The Police Public Relations Officer urged residents to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts to combat crime across the state.

She also called on parents and young people to shun cultism and other criminal associations, while cautioning members of the public against using social media to humiliate, threaten or sexually violate others.

Ikedem reaffirmed the Command's commitment to protecting lives and property, assuring residents that anyone found culpable in criminal activities would be made to face the law.