In Edo, Police Apprehend Five Suspected Kidnappers, Rescue Three Victims

Five suspected kidnappers were apprehended by Edo State Police Command officers at their hideout in Udo community in Iguabazua, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state.

Mohammed Ali, 25, Abdullahi Umar, 30, Bello Tambaya, 24, Hassan Mohammad, 24, and Adamu Bello, 26, have all been apprehended. Babuga, who is said to be the main suspect, has yet to be apprehended.

Kontongs Bello, the state’s police public relations officer, made the announcement on Wednesday in Benin City, the state capital.

On Monday evening, a team of operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer in Iguabazua apprehended the suspects, he said.

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“They are linked to a kidnapping case reported to the command on 04/02/2022 at around 1900 hours in the area,” a spokesman for the command said.
According to him, the suspects are making useful information that will lead to the arrest of other gang members on the run and will be arraigned in court as soon as the investigation is concluded.

Bello also narrated how a team of police operatives rescued three persons who have been held captive for two weeks.

He said, “On the 20/02/2022 at about 1200hrs, the Edo State Police Command acted on credible information that hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers bearing dangerous weapons are sighted around Unomi Farmland in Iddo Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, together with some persons believed to have been kidnapped.

“On receipt of the information, the combined team of police operatives and local hunters led by the ever gallant Divisional Police Officer, Okpella Division, immediately mobilised to the location on a rescue mission and possible arrest of the suspects.

“On sighting the team of operatives approaching them, the hoodlums opened fire. Left with no option, the team responded accordingly, resulting in a gun duel that lasted for about one hour.

“The suspected kidnappers, because of the superior firepower from the team of operatives, had to abandon their victims unhurt and escape into the bush, with various degrees of bullet wounds.”

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Bello identified the rescued victims as Marcellus Ekhayeme, Igbafe Austine, and Musa Aliu who said they were abducted from the Iyiku Jattu area of Auchi since February 8.

The victims, he said, were profiled and handed over to their various families while the Commissioner of Police in Edo, Philip Ogbadu, promised to continue to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure a crime-free state.