Police arrest 2 kidnappers, rescue 6 victims

Operatives of Edo State Police Command yesterday arrested two kidnapping suspects and rescued six kidnapped victims.

It was gathered that the suspects were travelling in a Toyota Sienna Bus with registration number EDO RRU 780 NE to Benin from Ekpoma when hoodlums intercepted the vehicle at Igue-Ozevbaru and kidnapped all the occupants and forced them into the forest.

It was also learnt that police at Egba Division, acting on information, mobilised patrol teams comprising military and vigilante groups for a bush combing and rescue of those kidnapped.

It was further gathered that the kidnappers, while leading their victims into the thick forest, on sighting the police engaged them in a gun battle around Obadan forest and in the process abandoned the victims and escaped.

The state command spokesperson, who confirmed the incident, said two of the suspected kidnappers were arrested.

He said during the gun battle, the hoodlums abandoned all the six people they had kidnapped including the driver of the vehicle and fled into the bush.

“Two of the kidnappers - Abdulkarim Kazeem and Odoh Chukchekua, both in their forties, were arrested trying to escape with injuries,” he said.