Tony Osauzo, Benin
Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a member of the kidnap gang that abducted two students of Delta State Polytechnic, Oghara.
The suspect whose identity was given as Happy Idodo, was nabbed in Benin City while looking for a buyer for the Toyota Camry snatched from the victims.
Another female suspect belonging to the gang was said to have been earlier arrested while attempting to collect the ransom paid for the release of the kidnapped students.
The arrested suspect, Happy, however, denied being a member of the kidnap gang. He told journalists that it was his brother, Wisdom, that brought the vehicle to him, even as he admitted he was into yahoo yahoo business.
“I am not a kidnapper. It was my brother that brought this car on Saturday. I was surprised and asked him about it. He said it belonged to his friend.
“On Sunday, we were going out and the car stopped. As we were pushing it, we heard a gunshot. The two others ran and where I ran to, I was caught. I called my brother, Wisdom, but he didn’t say anything. I was surprised when police told me the owner of the vehicle was kidnapped,” he said.
Narrating their ordeal, the two abducted students who are lovers, said they were returning from a school party when they were seized.
Benjamin Becky, 25, said: “My boyfriend and I were returning from a school party at 5am. We were in front of our hostel gate when some boys accosted us and took us away into the bush. We spent three days in the bush and they did not give us any food or water. They wore mask.
“We were inside the forest under the rain for three days and we were blind folded. I was not raped,” she said.
Her boyfriend, Yelsin Esimaje, said he paid N350,000 for their release.
Meanwhile, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Danmallam Abubakar, said other fleeing members would be arrested.