The Edo State Police Command have confirmed the arrest of two men for allegedly kidnapping a pastor of Deeper Life Church, Imubhin Juliet in Benin City.
Police Commissioner, Funsho Adegboye while addressing journalists in Benin City, gave the names of the suspects as Brown John, 26, and 30-year-old Ayodele Aziz.
He said the men were arrested by operatives of the command’s crack team along Benin-Auchi road while acting on a tip-off, two days after the incident.
Adegboye said; “Suddenly three armed men walked into the church with guns and robbed them of their valuables. She further reported that she was abducted by the armed robbers and taken away in her Toyota Highlander jeep with Reg. No. AGL739HR to an unknown destination where they forced her to disclose her ATM PIN number, which they used to syphon her money.
“The operatives of the command crack team while acting on a tip-off intercepted the vehicle with the driver along Auchi Road and vehicle was recovered from them”.
One of the suspects, Brown John stated in an interview that he was only following his friend to escort a new vehicle and he was not involved in the alleged robbery and kidnapping.
“My friend only asked me to join him to escort a vehicle that would be delivered to its owner. We were on the road when the police arrested us. I only got to know that it was a stolen vehicle after we were arrested by the police,” he said.
The second suspect, Ayodele also denied involvement in the crime, and claimed that a friend, now at large, had asked him to escort the vehicle to be delivered to the owner, after promising to give him money.
He explained that on the fateful day, he went to attend OPC meeting and that immediately after the meeting, he went to visit his father in his house.
“I met my friend at a drinking joint, we were drinking when I received a call that they are taking a vehicle to the owner. He asked me to join them to escort the vehicle to the owner, which I agreed because he said they will pay money for escorting the vehicle,” he said.
