Police kill suspected kidnapper, rescue two victims In Edo

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have killed a kidnapper and rescued two abducted victims in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of the state.

The Deputy Public Relations Officer of the command, Jennifer Iwegbu, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Benin City, said the suspects were arrested in Thursday, September 22.

She explained that the operatives were on patrol at about 8am, along Obadan community off Benin-Auchi Road when they received a distress call from residents of Ago-Orio community along the Benin-Lagos Road.

According to residents, a four-man armed gang of suspected kidnappers abducted the victims, Samson Osegbowa and Stanley Peters, who had been working on their farmlands.

“As part of efforts by Edo State Police Command to sustain the ongoing fight against nefarious activities in the state, especially kidnapping, Police Operatives of the Command rescued two(2) kidnapped victims,” the statement read.

Operatives of the Command on 22/09/2022 at about 0800hr while on patrol along Obadan community off Benin-Auchi road in Uhunmwonde LGA of Edo state responded to a distress call from distraught indigenes of Ago-Orio community along Benin-Lagos road that a four-man armed gang suspected to be kidnappers had taken two persons, One Samson Osegbowa ‘M’ 65yrs and Stanley Peters ‘M’ 38yrs, while working on their farmland.

On receipt of the information, the team of Operatives in collaboration with the community’s local vigilantes immediately swung into action, moved to the scene and embarked on intensive bush combing. During the rescue operation, both victims were rescued unhurt and have since been reunited with their family members, however, one of the kidnappers was neutralized during the operation.

The following items were recovered at the scene of the crime, One Wooden gun, three cutlasses, One torchlight, and a pair of operational shoes.

Meanwhile, intensive bush combing of the area is still ongoing for possible arrest of the other fleeing gang members.

While reaffirming the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring a safe Edo state for the general populace, the Commissioner of Police ( CP )Abutu, also appealed for more collaboration from members of the Public, noting that with credible information there is no limit to what the Police Command can do in combating crimes, especially heinous ones.