The suspects

Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The police in Benin have arrested two suspected notorious kidnappers who have been on police wanted list since January, 2016.

The suspects identified as Best Iyoha, 34 and Junior Ekete, 27, were arrested on Tuesday by‎ men of the anti-kidnapping squad of the State Police Command.

They were alleged to be members of a dare devil gang that has been terrorizing most parts of Edo and Delta States.

They were said to be specialized in the kidnapping of businessmen who they usually demand huge ransom from.

The latest victim of the suspects is a 40-year old businessman, Okpogie Osaigbovo, who was supervising workmen in his new house around Country Home Motel Road in Benin City, where they abducted him.

The suspects while heavily armed, reportedly stormed the‎ project site around 11 am in a red Toyota Camry car marked Lagos BDG 742 CL, held their victim at gun point and later kept him in the booth of the‎ car and whisked away.

It was learnt that suspects kept Mr. Osaigbovo in a toilet at house No 5, Hope Close, Off Country Home Motel Road, Benin City for two nights, where they opened a ransom negotiation to the tune of N200 million.

It was further gathered that the victim’s family members parted with N8 million cash before the victim was released.

Moments after the release, operatives of the anti-kidnapping squad of the State Police Command were said to have gone on the trail of the suspects and arrested them in their hideout.

Among items recovered from them were two Samsung mobile phones belonging to‎ their victims, the Toyota Camry car used in the operation, two‎ cut to size guns, two laptops and 4 live cartridges.

The suspects while confessing their involvement, said they were recently deported from Libya and were trying to raise more money to‎ travel overseas before luck ran out of them.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Haliru Gwandu, said,‎ tough times await any person or group of persons that would want to engage in criminal activities.

He appealed to the people of the State to continue to render useful information to the police aimed at checking the activities of criminals.