Tony Osauzo, Benin
Two Policemen attached to the Managing Director of a popular eatery in Benin City (GT Plaza), were reportedly killed Wednesday night by suspected kidnappers.
It was gathered that the suspected kidnappers, who apparently thought the Managing Director of GT Plaza, Elder Pius Omofuma, was in the Lexus Special Utility Vehicle (SUV), reportedly opened fire and in the process, the two police men were killed.
It was further gathered that the incident happened along Benin-Ekpoma road and at the time, the Managing Director was said not to be inside the vehicle.
Spokesman for the Edo State Police Command, DSP Chidi Nwanbuzor, said investigation into the incident was on.
Meanwhile, operatives the Edo State Police Command in collaboration with a local vigilante group have rescued 35-year old man, Mr Joseph Patrick, from a five man suspected kidnap gang operating at Ozege Junction in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of the state.
One of the suspected kidnappers, Yusuf Ismaila, 17, who was arrested when the suspects engaged police in a gun duel, said he was introduced to kidnapping business by his friend, Mohammed, who promised to give him money after the business.
“Mohammed called me to follow him, that he will give me money, I tied the victim’s mouth with clothes and we took him to the the bush, he said the man was owing them money. We tied him in the bush and Mohammed told me to go and fetch water from the stream, as I was coming, I heard gun shot and that was how I was arrested”, Ismaila said.
Narrating his ordeal, the victim, Joseph Patrick, said he was driving through Ozege Junction in Ekpoma, when the five man gang accosted him and took him to a bush were he spent tthree days before the police and vigilante group rescued him.
“I was driving through the Ozege Junction and suddenly, they came out from the bush and blocked me, they tied my hands, blindfolded and took me to the bush, where they demanded two million naira from my family. It was my wife that went to the police before the police and vigilante people rescued me”, he said.
Spokesman of the Edo Police Command, DSP Chidi Nwanbuzor, who paraded the suspect said the police in collaboration with local vigilante group on Wednesday rescued Mr. Joseph Patrick from the kidnappers’ den and arrested the suspect, who is helping the police with investigation.