By Osahon Osahon
Two suspected kidnappers, who allegedly accosted a vehicle conveying corpse from Lagos to Imo State, have been arrested by operatives of Edo State Police Command.
The incident occured on Friday, September 10, 2021, around Ute River, along Benin-Lagos bypass.
Three occupants of the vehicle were subsequently abducted by the suspects.
The names of the suspects were given as Mohammed Ishaku (25) and Mubarak Wada (26).
A statement by the Command’s spokesman, SP Kontongs Bello, on Saturday, said “on receipt of the information, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Egba Division, SP John O. Emmanuel, immediately swung into action, mobilized 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.
“On sighting the Police, they opened fire on them. The team of operatives engaged them in a gun duel.
“The superior fire power of the Police operatives made the suspected kidnappers to abondoned the victims.
The statement disclosed that two of the suspects were apprehended by the security operatives, while others escaped with bullet wounds into the thick forest.
Items recovered from the suspected kidnappers include three locally-made guns, two live cartridges, two cutlasses and charms.
The statement added that the three victims and two others earlier kidnapped were rescued and have already been taken to the hospital for immediate medical attention.
“Effort is in progress to arrest other fleeing gang members,” Bello assured.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Philip Aliyu Ogbadu, has thanked members of the public for the timely information that led to the rescue of the victims and susbsquent arrest of the suspects.
The CP further stated that the Command under his watch will continue to strengthen patrolling of various Federal Highways linking to the State, to curtail the activities of this hoodlums.
