Edo police arrest girl, 13, prison escapee, one other for kidnapping, rescue four victims

The operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested three persons; among them area a 13-year-old girl for kidnapping.

Confirming the arrest, the command’s spokesperson, SP Kontongs Bello said, on December 28, 2021 around 1 pm that one Testimony Akioyame ‘f’ (8) of Arue Uromi in Esan North-East was brought to Uromi Police Divisional Headquarters by a good Samaritan, who informed the police that he found her tied down in an uncompleted building at Erue community of Uromi.

“On receipt of the girl and the information, the police operative immediately swung into action and arrested the duo of Godstime Obioko ‘m’ (18) and Destiny Osevaru ‘m’ (13) all of Erue community in Esan North-East Local Government Area who confessed to have abducted the girl tied and kept in an uncompleted building while they left her there to charge their phone so that they can be contact her parents.

According to him the spokesman, on coming back, they discovered that the girl had been rescued by unknown person.

He said: “The suspect further confess that they intend to demand for N500,000 from the parents before she was eventually rescued.

“Investigation is still ongoing, the suspects will soon be charged to court when investigation is concluded”.

Similarly, he said, on the 29/12/2021 around 2.30 pm operatives of the Edo State Police Command through Ugbowo division led by the Disional Police Officer, DPO, CSP Albert Udeme received information that hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers have kidnapped one Kelvin Omonedo ‘m’, Adeleke Wasiu ‘m’ at Olienhen Street and proceeded to Ukhumwem Road in Benin City, where they also kidnapped the duo of Irene Edenabuohen ‘f’ and Rosemary Ojegue ‘f’.

“On receipt of the information, police operatives from the division immediately swung into action, trailed and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel; the superior fire power of the team made the hoodlums abandon the four victims, while operatives arrested one of the suspects, Over Jamker ‘m’ of Ughelli, Delta State, who was later identified as an escapee from Oko  Corectional Centre during the #EndSARS protest of 2020.

Efforts is ongoing to arrest the fleeing gang members”, Bello added.

The Commissioner of Police, Philip Aliyu Ogbadu, while thanking the public for prompt information, which eventually led to the arrest of the criminals and rescue of the kidnapped victims, reinstated his commitment to safeguard lives and property of residents.