Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, southern Nigeria, has ordered the demolition of a block of four flats allegedly used as a den by suspected kidnappers in Benin, the state capital.
The governor gave the order Wednesday while witnessing the parade of four kidnap suspects arrested by operatives of the Edo State command of Department of State Security (DSS).
He disclosed that the demolition was in line with the anti-kidnapping bill passed into law by the state House of Assembly and assented to by the state government last year.
The building is located at Osasogie street, off Sapele road in Ikpoba Okha Local Government area of the state.
State Director of DSS, Mr. Bello Bakori, who paraded the suspects, disclosed that they were arrested in collaboration with men of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army at different locations in the state capital.
The four kidnappers confessed to have been involved in the abduction of the chairman of Randekhi Hotel located in Benin City, three children of the former chairman of Etsako West Local Government Council (now an aide to the governor), a student of Benson Idahosa University, a female teacher and a medical doctor serving at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) on various occasions and at different locations in Benin City.
Governor Oshiomhole who expressed appreciation for the success recorded by the security operatives, reaffirmed that all buildings used for kidnapping would henceforth be destroyed in compliance with the state’s anti-kidnapping law.
“I am to obey the directives of the law which is that any property used for kidnapping has to be brought down. With the narratives I have got from them, those properties that they have used for these heinous crimes will be demolished under my supervision and we are doing it this week.
“We have to obey the law because we have taken oath to which among other things we promised to obey the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we will find the courage to do just that,” Oshiomhole said.
Those paraded include Sunday Ekhareme, 27, from Orogun in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Joshua Igbinovia, Ibrahim, 23, from Akoko-Edo Local Government Area who had allegedly travelled to Kenya and Ghana before he was arrested last month and Christian David, 26, from Igueben Local Government Area.
Also paraded was Michael Onyekachi, a travel agent from Enugu state and ThankGod Itebu, a final year Banking and Finance student of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, who allegedly engaged in illegal financial transaction with an old generation bank account. In another development, the Police Command in Cross River State, southern Nigeria, said on Wednesday that it had arrested seven persons comprising two women and five men, who specialised in child kidnapping and trafficking.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Criminal Investigation in the command, Mr Ganiyu Salami, said in Calabar that the command also rescued two children.
Salami said two suspects, who specialised in defiling under-aged girls and two members of another kidnap syndicate were also arrested by the command.
He said the suspects had confessed to the crime, adding that they would be arraigned soon.
He said two of the suspects were arrested after snatching a nine-year-old child from her mother at Army Junction, Calabar, on May 5.
The assistant commissioner also said that two others were arrested for conniving to steal a three-year-old boy in Calabar South Local Government Area.
He said the suspects were arrested following information from members of the public, adding that another female accomplice was still at large.
He said the rescued children had rejoined their parents.
“The suspects have confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court on the completion of investigations,” he said.
Salami said that two suspected kidnappers were arrested in their hideout in Iffiang, Bakassi Local Government Area.
“The police recovered four single barrel guns from them. During interrogation, they confessed to be members of the gang responsible for many cases of kidnapping in the state.
“They were identified by some of their victims and will be charged to court on the completion of investigations,” he said.
The officer thanked members of the public for helping the command in tracking down criminals in the state and urged them not to take the laws into their hands.
He called on the public to be security conscious and to report any suspicious character amongst them to the command for prompt action.
Speaking to newsmen, one of the suspects blamed his ordeal on children in the neighbourhood who visited his house to watch pornographic films.
Oshiomhole orders demolition of kidnapper"s den in Ikpoba Okha
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