Two arrested as ‘kidnappers’ attack vehicle conveying corpse in Edo

The Edo police command says security operatives have arrested two suspects, who allegedly attacked a vehicle conveying a corpse from Lagos to Imo.

Bello Kontongs, Edo police spokesperson, in a statement on Saturday, said the suspects attacked the vehicle on the Benin-Lagos bypass, on Friday.

Arms and ammunition were said to have been recovered from the suspects, while five kidnap victims were rescued.

According to NAN, Kontongs said three of the victims were said to have been abducted from the vehicle conveying the corpse, while two others had earlier been kidnapped by the gang.

“On receipt of the information, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Egba Division, SP John Emmanuel, mobilised operatives and the local vigilance group for immediate bush-combing,” the statement reads.

“They advanced into the nearby Ute Forest, and after hours of bush-combing, they came across the suspected kidnappers who opened fire on them.

“The operatives engaged the suspects in a gun duel, which made the latter to abandon the victims.

“Two of the suspects, Mohammed Ishaku (25) and Mubarak Wada (26), were arrested while others escaped into the thick forest with bullet wounds.

“Three locally-made guns, two live cartridges, two cutlasses and some charms were also recovered from the suspects.”

The police spokesman added that the rescued victims have been taken to the hospital, and efforts are ongoing to arrest other suspects who escaped.