The Edo State Police Command has arrested 50 suspected armed robbers, kidnappers and cultists. It has also recovered stolen vehicles and seized firearms from their hideouts. Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawan Tanko Jimeta, said: “Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) raided all hideouts of the criminals.
“SARS arrested 10 suspected armed robbers and recovered arms from the hoodlums. The Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU) arrested 34 suspected cultists at different locations. They are members of Aiye, Eiye and Viking confraternities. They confessed to being members of these societies. They were involved in perpetrating all sorts of atrocities and criminalities in the state.
“The AKU, in joint operation with the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), arrested some hoodlums who had concluded plans to kidnap Omorogbe and Moore, working on the Benin-Abraka Road, Benin. The suspects included Boye, Otukpu, Albert and Kama. Four other suspected kidnappers were also arrested. They are Moses, Chinonso, Chinedu and Obikeze.
“SARS operatives, during their stop-and-search duty along Lagos-Benin Expressway, intercepted a Toyota Highlander driven by one Abiodun, which was reported stolen from a mechanic’s workshop in Ajegunle, Lagos State. Detectives have been deployed to strategic areas and flashpoints to flush out the hoodlums. The areas include Beniin/Agbor axis, Benin/Sapele and Benin/Ore Expressway.”