Edo State Police Command on Sunday, November 3, 2019, arrested three soldiers and a civilian for alleged kidnapping and armed robbery.
Punch gathered that the arrest was made possible after an intensive investigation by the Police revealed that the soldiers had been on Police ‘wanted list’ for a series of kidnappings in Agenebode, Fugar and other areas of Edo State.
The three military suspects were identified as Corporal Collins Ameh 13NA/70/4960 of 3 Division, Jos; Lance Corporal Balogun Taiwo 13/NA/69/0369 of 35 Battalion, Katsina; and Private Evans Isibor 15/NA/73/1529 of the Artillery Brigade, Owerri on a special duty in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The civilian suspect arrested alongside the soldiers was said to be a member of the gang and identified as Goodluck Igbenebor.
Corporals Ameh and Balogun were said to have kidnapped one Joseph Otono on October 30, 2019 in Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State and snatched his Toyota Voltron car.
Otono was said to have been later released after a ransom was paid by his relations.
However, luck ran out of the two when they were arrested by the Police in Ehor, headquarters of Uhunmwode local government area of Edo State on their way to Lagos, allegedly to sell the car.
The same gang members were also reported to have kidnapped a classroom teacher in Fugar, Catherine Izuagie, on September 9, 2019. She was also released after ransom was collected.
Similarly, Evans Isibor, who was posted to Maiduguri, Bornu State, to combat insurgency along with the other soldiers, was said to have kidnapped one Mohammed Hassan in Agenebode, Etsako East local government area of Edo State on October 14, 2019.
The soldier and his civilian accomplices now at large were said to have also collected ransom to effect the release of the kidnapped man.
All the suspects have allegedly been identified by the victims.
Confirming the arrest, Chidi Nwabuzo, the police public relations officer, said the three soldiers and civilian are currently being interrogated by the state command head of SARS, Superintendent Richard Balogun.
