The Edo State Police Command has arrested two members of a kidnap gang that waylaid a vehicle carrying a corpse to Imo State for burial.
According to a press release from the command’s spokesperson, SP Kontongs Bello, the operatives of the command received information that some hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers had accosted a vehicle conveying a corpse from Lagos to Imo State around Ute River Benin-Lagos bypass, Benin City on September 10 about 6 am, kidnapping three of the people accompanying the corpse.
He said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Egba Division, SP John O. Emmanuel immediately swung into action, mobilizing his operatives and the local vigilante group for immediate bush combing.
“They advanced into Ute Forest. After hours of bush combing, they came across the suspected kidnappers, (who) on sighting the police opened fire on them. The team of operatives engaged them in a gun duel.
“The superior firepower of the police operatives made the suspected kidnappers abondon the victims. However, two (2) of the suspects were apprehended. They are Mohammed Ishaku ‘m’ age 25 and Mubarak Wada ‘m’ age 26 while others escaped with bullet wounds into the thick Forest. Three locally made guns, two (2) live cartridges, two (2) cutlasses and some charms were also recovered from the suspects.
“Meanwhile the three (3) victims including two (2) others earlier kidnapped were rescued and have already been taken to the hospital for immediate medical attention. An effort is in progress to arrest other fleeing gang members,” the statement said.
Bello said the Commissioner of Police Edo State Command, Philip Aliyu Ogbadu thanked the officers that intervened swiftly and arrested the suspects.
The commissioner promised that his command would continue to strengthen patrolling of various Federal Highways linking to Edo State to curtail the activities of the hoodlums.
