BENIN CITY-A member of a gang of armed robbers unleashing terror on travellers along Benin-Lagos express road by Ogbemudia farms has been gunned down by men of Edo Police Command.
Also, operatives of the command paraded 63 suspected criminals arrested at different locations for various offences ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, cultism, transborder crimes to breaking and entry in Edo.
The Commissioner of Police, Edo State CP Johnson Kokumu paraded the suspects along with the corpse of the dead robber to journalists at the state police command headquarters in Benin City, yesterday.
CP Kokumu stated that the robber met his waterloo when his gang engaged policemen deployed to that axis in a deadly gun battle.
He disclosed further that other members of the gang who probably sustained bullet wounds ran into the bush as operatives were combing the surrounding bushes for more casualties.
He said the operatives responded to a distress call that robbers were operating in the area, last Saturday night.
He explained that the command deployed Armoured Personal Vehicle to that Ogbemudia farms area when it became den of criminals and nightmare to travellers as the axis is now safer to ply.
Among others paraded were David Oghene-bozie, 18, Jerry Ugiagbe, 22, and Paul Francis, 20, a three-man syndicate who admitted to have severally posed as transporters/passengers and raped, kidnapped, robbed and killed their victims who entered their operational vehicle as passengers on Benin-Sapele and Warri roads.
They confessed to have killed and buried a man in shallow grave and promised to lead investigators to the grave in the bush if need be.
The trio also admitted to have robbed and gang raped a woman who joined their vehicle as unsuspecting passenger.
Yakubu Abdulazeez, 20 from Kogi State and Alegbe Sunday, 24 a two-man gang of armed robbers were also paraded along with a gun and live cartridges recovered from them.
Also paraded were Mr Osarenmwinda Idumwonyi, 46, Junior Omo Shaba, 19 and Alexander Ogbejie, 30 who at different times, locations and circumstances murdered their girlfriends in Benin City and Urhonigbe town, respectively.
The Commissioner of Police revealed that the killings of the three women by their lovers happened this month, July 2018.
The three suspects who admitted the crime however gave different reasons ranging from infidelity, wrongful accusation of cheating to stealing of hard-earned money.
The police boss who assured residents of Edo of adequate protection of lives and property stated that with the command’s achievements and security measures in place the state is safe for lawful all activities.
He however advised ladies to be weary of men they fall in love with just as he enjoined members of the public to be vigilant and report suspicious elements and activities to law enforcement agents.
Sophisticated arms and ammunition were also paraded along with the suspects.
