Three suspected kidnappers arrested by police during stop and search operation
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Three suspected kidnappers have been arrested by the police in Edo five days after they allegedly collected a N10 million ransom to release their victims.
The suspects reportedly collected the money to let go one Sunday Ajibola and his mother-in-law.
Edo Police Command Public Relations Officer Moses Yamu in a statement issued in Benin City named the suspects as Adamu Usman, Iliyasu Abubakar, and Safiyanu Mohammed.
He said during preliminary investigation, one of the SIM cards recovered from the suspects was discovered to belong to Ajibola Sunday of Igbirra camp in Auchi.
When the man was contacted and invited to the station, he identified the suspects as being part of the gang of eight men who kidnapped him and his mother-in-law.
According to Yamu, the victim narrated that they were kidnapped on March 11 and their families paid N10 million to secure their release.
He said the suspects were arrested on March 16 by Auchi Police Division officers in collaboration with a vigilante group, during a routine stop and search at UBA junction, Auchi in Etsako West Council.
Yamu confirmed that Usman of Hausa quarters was arrested after operatives chased after young men who took to their heels on sighting the police, while his accomplice escaped.
The other two suspects were later arrested during preliminary investigation, he added.
He listed items recovered from suspects during the stop and search to include N1,345,100 believed to be proceeds of kidnapping, five micro SIM cards, one machete, one dagger, two phones, and a pack of cigarettes.
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