Edo CP parades 70 suspected armed robbers

Says killers of NTA Reporter currently in prison
‎Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Haliru Gwandu, last Friday paraded 70 suspected armed robbers, cultists and kidnappers, disclosing that the killers of the reporter of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) in Benin City, Mr. Lawrence Okojie, last month have been arrested and are currently in prison.

The CP also disclosed that the incessant robbery attack along the Benin-Lagos express road has been checked as the Command is currently patrolling the area with Armoured Personal Carriers (APC) to check the activities of armed robbers.

Some of the items recovered from the suspects include three cut to size double barrel guns, one cut to size pistol, two locally made pistol guns, cutlasses, military uniform, military ID and booth, 4 vehicles and two cut to size double barrel guns.

Commenting on the killers of the NTA reporter, CP Gwandu, said: “It was a cult related matter, the cultists were fighting around that area and unfortunately the NTA reporter ran into their shooting and he was killed while he was trekking back home after work. But very fortunately, we were able to arrest the guy who gunned him down. The guy is cooling in prison right now because it was a clear case of murder.

Continuing he said: “We have seen enough peace here in the past two months. In the past, we had been receiving incessant attacks especially along the Benin-Ore express road, but today, that is no longer there because of the measures we have put in place. Our men are all over, we are using armoured Personal Carriers to supervise that High Way and the Benin Auchi Abuja road. We are not sleeping, we are busting crime every day and we will continue until we flush them out of the state.

God has touched the minds of people to help us with good information and we have been able to make so many arrest, recovered ammunitions. The statistics we have nine cases of armed robbery reported and we arrested 36 of the suspects. We have recovered so many exhibits. Under kidnapping, we have received six cases of kidnapping and we apprehended 18 suspects.

All the cases are under investigation because they are all high profile cases and we have to get the weapons, their modus operandi and their associates so that we will be able to nip in the bud that aspect of crime. Now in that aspect of crime we recovered one military ID card, one military uniform, one military booth, 4 vehicles. Many of the cultists were arrested in their regalia. We have eight cases reported and we arrested about 18 of them with different arms. They will be charged to court after investigation” he stressed.