A suspected kidnapper, identified as Ibrahim Mohammed, has been arrested by operatives of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) while allegedly attempting to deliver a firearm to members of a kidnapping gang in the state.
Mohammed, who is from Borno State, was intercepted by ESSC personnel along the Oluku bypass in Benin City.
Confirming the arrest, the ESSC Deputy Commander of Operations, Richard Balogun, said both the suspect and the recovered firearm had been handed over to the police for profiling and further investigation.
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Balogun noted that the Oluku bypass, Benin–Akure Road and surrounding areas have recently witnessed repeated kidnapping incidents, prompting the corps to deploy increased surveillance and continuous motorised patrols.
He explained that during one of the patrol operations, the team received credible intelligence that an individual was transporting a gun to a kidnapping group operating in the area.
According to him, officers intensified their patrols, and within a few hours, the suspect was spotted riding a motorcycle with the firearm hidden inside a long bag. He was subsequently arrested and the weapon recovered.
