Seventy suspected kidnappers, rapists and other criminal elements were arrested in the Okpella, Esouko East Local Government Area of Edo State, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) revealed yesterday.
A statement signed by the Corps’ spokesperson, CSC Afolabi Babawale, said the suspects were roundedup by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad. Babawale quoted the Commandant of the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad, AS Dandaura, as highlighting the difficulty in identifying the enablers of kidnapping who, he noted, disguised as illegal miners and charcoal vendors in the Okpella general area of the state.
He said: “Following the directive of the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi on an aggressive onslaught against unscrupulous elements terrorizing the peace of Edo State and those culpable for the massacre of 8 personnel attached to BUA Cement Company last month.
“The CG’s Special Intelligence Squad, led by Commandant Dandaura, collaborated with the men of the Nigerian Army and the General Manager of BUA International Cement, Mr. Richard Gidado, to launch an aggressive onslaught against the crime perpetrators.
“During the clearance operation, the team uncovered and dismantled some criminal hideouts used for housing kidnapped victims, though some of the kidnappers maneuvered outside the area, giving room for the rescuing of victims and one Mrs Agbe Matar, who had been in captivity for over 7 days.”
The CG’s SIS Commandant hinted that the rescued victims lamented their encounter as Mrs Agbe Martha narrated how she was kidnapped alongside her sister while working on their farmland in the Ichoke area of the Itsukwi community in Etsako East LGA of Edo State.
The statement added: “As the CG’s SIS Commandant and his men reunited Mrs Martha Agbe and other victims with their families, the paramount ruler, His Royal Highness Usman Suleiman, the Ogei-Ochi III of Itsukwi Kingdom, with so much excitement lauded the pragmatic leadership of the NSCDC Commandant General for bringing hope and peace back to the area.
