Members of a deadly kidnap syndicate, that had been on the wanted list of the police, have been arrested in Edo State.
The suspects, Best Iyoha, 34, and Junior Ekete, 27, were alleged to be members of a gang that had terrorized parts of Edo and Delta states.
They were arrested by the anti-kidnapping squad of the Edo State Police Command on Monday after they kidnapped a 40-year-old businessman, Mr. Okpogie Osaigbovo, who was supervising workmen in his uncompleted building around Country Home Motel Road in Benin City.
The duo stormed the project site in a red Toyota Camry car with registration number Lagos BDG-742-CL, held the man at gunpoint and whisked him away in the trunk of the car.
According to police investigation, Osaigbovo was locked up in a toilet at House 5, Hope Close, Off Country Home Motel Road, Benin City for two nights, after which the suspects opened a ransom negotiation to the tune of N200 million.
The victim’s family members were said to have parted with N8 million before the victim was released but moments after the release, men of the anti-kidnapping squad of the state police command went on the trail of the suspects and arrested them in their hideout.
Confirming the arrest while parading the suspects yesterday at the command, the state Commissioner of Police, CP, Haliru Gwandu, said “Tough times awaited any person or group of persons that would want to engage in criminal activities in Edo State.
“Two Samsung mobile phones belonging to their victims, the Toyota Camry car used in the operation, two cut-to-size guns, two laptops and four live cartridges were recovered from the suspects upon their arrest.”
He urged the people of Edo State to continue to render useful information to the police aimed to chheck the activities of criminals.
The suspects, in their confession, spoke on their level of involvement.
According to them, they were recently deported from Libya and were trying to raise more money to travel overseas before luck ran out on them.
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