Crime Watch

Police arrest kidnap suspects after threatening to rekidnap victim over incomplete ransom

The Edo State Police Command have arrested two suspected kidnappers Joel Emazor and Philip Roberts (30) over the alleged abduction of Albert Igbinomwanhia, 31, in Benin, Edo State.

Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the suspects were arrested on March 30 by the command’s intelligence Rapid Response Squad while acting on credible intelligence.

While parading the Joel 31, and Roberts, 30, on Wednesday, the Police spokesperson said they worked in collaboration with two others, Ossai and Eguavon, to kidnap the victim and held him in their hideout for five days.

The suspected kidnappers demanded N14 million, but Albert’s family were only able to raise N5.1 million, so they collected it and later released him.

However, they continued to call the victim’s parents to demand the balance of N8.9 million or they will rekidnap him.

Albert’s family feeling that the abductors could carry out the threat, were forced to write a petition to the commissioner of police.

Nwabuzor said; “On March 6, the suspects and two others, Ossai and Eguavon, whose surnames are unknown, kidnapped one Albert Igbinomwanhia from Igbinedion Avenue, G.R.A., Benin City to Agbor Road Bye-Pass axis near Okhuahe River in a Lexus Jeep RX 330 with registration number RBC 18 DC and held him hostage inside a pit for five days.

“The kidnappers demanded N14 million ransom from his family members and the victim was released to his family after they paid N5.1 million.

“After collecting the ransom and releasing their victim, the suspects kept calling the victim and his parent that the N14 million must be completed or they will still kidnap the victim another time, which made the parent to petition the Commissioner of Police.

“The suspects were arrested at their hideout and they have made statements and confessed to the crime. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspects who are at large”