Edo police rescue five kidnap victims, recover stolen vehicles

<p><strong>Five kidnap victims have been rescued by police officers attached to Edo state police command&comma; who also arrested robbery suspects with stolen cars&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Spokesperson of the command&comma; Kontongs Bello in a statement released on Thursday December 16&comma; said both operations were carried on Wednesday evening at Ewohimi and Uromi&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Bello said&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;On the 15&sol;12&sol;2021 at about 15&colon;00hrs operatives of Edo State Police Command attached to Ewohimi Division while on patrol led by the DPO CSP Gideon Azuonwu along Ubiaja-Ewohimi Road came across hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers who had intercepted a Sienna bus with Reg&period; No&period; RBC 407 ZN driven by one Oliseh Francis and travelling from Abuja to Asaba with eight commuters&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;The hoodlums on sighting the team of police operatives engaged them in a gun duel&comma; the superior fire power of police operatives made the hoodlums to abandon five of the victims unhurt including the driver while they escaped with three passengers into the bush&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Bush combing is ongoing with the aim of rescuing the three passengers and further arrest the hoodlums&period;”<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Commenting on the arrest of the armed robbery suspects&comma; the police spokesperson said&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;On the 15&sol;12&sol;2021 at about 00&colon;15hrs the operatives of the Edo State Police Command acting on credible information that a Toyota Corolla with REG&period; NO&period; 456 BS belonging to a staff of People Worldwide Prayer Ministries&comma; Illeh Ekpoma have been snatched by hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;On the same date at about 00&colon;00hrs another information was received that a highlander jeep with REG&period; NO&period; KWL 979 BH property of Ehikioya John of Ihumudumu quarters Ekpoma&comma; was also snatched at gun point by hoodlums&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;On receipt of the information&comma; the DPO Ekpoma division&comma; CSP Bukoye Oyegbemi swung into action&comma; mobilize team of police operatives and gave them a chase and further informed the neighbouring DPO’s with the aim of blocking all exit from Ekpoma and to enable them recover the vehicle and arrest the hoodlums&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;The prompt action of the DPO resulted in the recovery of the two vehicles while trying to drive out of Ekpoma and Akhere Akhigbe &OpenCurlyQuote;M’ &lpar;22&rpar;&comma; Anthony Joseph &OpenCurlyQuote;M’ &lpar;22&rpar;&comma; Oshowe Zakari &OpenCurlyQuote;M’ &lpar;36&rpar; were arrested&period; Suspects have confessed to the crimes and still undergoing investigation with aim of arresting other gang members&period;”<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Commissioner of Police&comma; Philip Ogbadu further thanked the public for prompt information which eventually led to the arrest of the criminals and recovery of the stolen vehicles&period; He also reinstated his commitment in ensuring the safety of all indigenes and residence of the state&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;