Out Of Luck For Kidnapper As Victim Recognizes, Points Him Out In Uselu, Benin City
A prison escapee has been re-arrested in Benin, Edo State police command has said.
Ovie Djanere Friday, 21, from Delta State, was arrested over his involvement in several abductions in Benin and Environs.
Friday was arrested moments after one of his daring kidnapping operations, Standard Gazette gathered.
His accomplices are in the wind as police launch a chase to capture the escapees.
Standard Gazette gathered that the gangs abducted four people around Uselu, Ugbowo, Technical College road, and Uwasota Road, all in Benin metropolis.
Police identified their victims as Mrs Irene Ednabuohien, Mrs Mary Osigwe, Mr Kelvin Omoredo and Mr Wasiu Adeleke.
SG gathered that Friday and his team abducted a businessman at his private residence on Friday 14 January 2022 around 13:00hrs
Before that, they had snatched a Toyota Venza at a gunpoint along S and T road in Benin city, which was learned to have been used for the abduction.
Standard Gazette gathered that the kidnappers collected over one million naira (N1,000,000) to effect the businessman’s release.
According to the police report, the suspect also attacked a woman who was driving into her compound at Uwasota in Benin city.
The woman was abducted using her vehicle for the dastardly act.
The gang seized their female victim’s ATM card, using it to withdraw over N500,000 before allowing her to regain freedom.
All their victims paid ransoms before they were released.
However, their luck ran out after one of their female victims spotted Friday around Uselu in Benin, hours after she had regained her freedom.
The woman then raised alarm which led to the arrest of the suspect.
According to Ovie Friday, “I came from Ughelli in Delta state with my friends for the kidnapping operation.
“We just needed money and decided to come to Benin city.
“My friend suggested that we can make more money if we kidnap people. I was shocked that the woman we kidnapped and released was able to recognize me”.
Edo State Police Public Relations officer SP Bello Kontongs said Edo state would continue to remain peaceful and crime-free.
SP Kontongs said, “Other gang members now on the run would be arrested and prosecuted”.
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