Six victims kidnapped along the Benin-Ekpoma Expressway were rescued on Thursday by men of the Edo State Police Command, while two suspects who allegedly took part in the abduction were also arrested.
The victims were said to have been abducted around 6.40pm on Wednesday in a Toyota Sienna on their way from Ekpoma to Benin.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Kontongs Bello, in a press release on Thursday, said the two suspects — Abdulkarim Kazeem and Odoh Chukchekua — both aged 40, were arrested for their roles in the incident.
The statement read, “On July 7, 2021 around 6.40pm, operatives of the Edo State Police Command, Egba divisional headquarters, got credible information from members of the public that a Toyota Sienna with number plate, EDO RRU 780 NE, driven by Eric Ehiaguna and belonging to a private transport company on his way from Ekpoma to Benin was intercepted by hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers at Igue-Ozevbaru, who kidnapped all the passengers and forced them into the forest.
“The unrelenting DPO, Egba division, SP John Emmanuel, swiftly mobilised his patrol teams, safer highway, military and vigilance groups, into the bush for immediate bush combing with a view to ensuring the safe rescue of the kidnapped victims.
“The police team, led by the DPO, swooped on the kidnappers while leading the victims into the forest. The security operatives engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel around the Obadan forest. The hoodlums then abandoned all the victims, including the driver, and fled into the bush, while two of them were caught.”