8-year-old Girl Abducted In Her Father’s Compound In Edo Rescued As Police Nab Neighbour

An 8-year-old primary school pupil allegedly kidnapped in Uromi, Esan North-East local government area of Edo state, has been rescued by a combined team of vigilante members and the police.

Standard Gazette gathered that the girl was playing in the parent’s compound at about 2 pm when two young men approached her and sent her to buy biscuits for them.

On her way, the men later accosted her and forced her into a nearby bush where her hands and legs were tied.

The suspects had attempted to put a call across to the father of their victim for N1.5 million ransom.

But the phone went off as the alleged kidnappers then decided to charge the mobile phone somewhere to enable them to continue their ransom call.

They, however, left the young girl in the bush to further perfect their plans.

SG learned that the young girl was sighted by farmers who contacted the police and vigilante members who rescued her.

According to the girl’s father, whose name is not mentioned for security reasons, “One of them now arrested is called Destiny, and he is our neighbour. I am sad that a neighbour could plan the kidnapping of my daughter.”

“I almost fainted as we spent several hours searching for the whereabouts of my daughter. I am happy that she has been rescued unhurt,” he told Standard Gazette.

The two suspects, Bioko Godstime,19, and Destiny Osemwanhu, 22, who were later arrested on the spot, have been transferred to the office of the Anti kidnapping And Cyber Crime Unit of the Edo state police command in Benin city for further interrogation.

Destiny, who is the neighbour of the victim, said, “I actually want to raise money to travel abroad, and we agreed to kidnap the little girl to get the money for the trip.

“I believe that the father would be able to pay the ransom; hence we decided to kidnap her. Now that I have been caught, I regret my action”.

The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bello Kontongs, assured that the two suspects would be charged to court soon.

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