Police, Vigilance group rescues 4 uniben lecturers,students from kidnappers
Thu Mar 05, 2020 08:46:am National
975 By Afam Jude Offor
A combined team of vigilante group and police on Tuesday night rescued four lecturers and 11 students of Geology Department of the University of Benin from suspected kidnappers.
According to reports, the lecturers and students were rounded up in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State while on fieldwork. They boarded an 18-seater bus and were along Ihievbe-Ago axis in Owan East Local Government Area when they were swooped upon by the suspected kidnappers and marched into the forest. It was gathered that the driver of the vehicle and two students escaped and ran to alert the vigilance group whose members were on patrol along the Igarrai-Auchi Road. They mobilized and chased the kidnappers even as they exchanged gunfire and in the process two of the kidnappers were arrested. The police backed up the vigilante group and the kidnappers were overwhelmed with their combined firepower and they abandoned their victims and ran away. Narrating the incident, the Chairman, Opoze Age Group in Igarra, who is also head of the vigilante group, Ibukun Dogo, said: “The driver of the 18-seater bus and two of the students escaped when the kidnappers rounded them up at gun point. They ran back to the highway where our vigilance group members were patrolling and broke the news to them. The vigilantes briefed me on phone and I ordered that they should go after them while I quickly informed the police for back up. While my men were pursuing the kidnappers, they were shooting and so my men were returning fire but ran out of ammunition. Though we were able to apprehend two of the kidnappers and they were taken to the police station. The students, who escaped, were called to come and identify them and they were able to identify one of them as the people that kidnapped their colleagues. I also called our hunters because two weeks ago, they reported that they sighted about eight boys in the forest, who shot at them and ran away and the hunters were also able to identify one of the kidnappers.”The vigilance group leader appealed for support for proper kiting, saying they were doing the work on voluntary basis.
The public relations officer of the university, Dr. (Mrs) Benedita Ehanire, while confirming the incident, said the school is expecting the team back after the rescue.
The four lecturers and 13 students would have been back but the management insisted that there must be a police back-up for them before they travel back to school. They are all safe and they are on their way, “she said. Also confirming the incident, spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, said a combined team of the police tactical squad, men from the Divisional Police Station in Igarra and Area Command were deployed by the Commissioner of Police, Lawal Jimeta, to rescue the lecturers and students.
According to reports, the lecturers and students were rounded up in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State while on fieldwork. They boarded an 18-seater bus and were along Ihievbe-Ago axis in Owan East Local Government Area when they were swooped upon by the suspected kidnappers and marched into the forest. It was gathered that the driver of the vehicle and two students escaped and ran to alert the vigilance group whose members were on patrol along the Igarrai-Auchi Road. They mobilized and chased the kidnappers even as they exchanged gunfire and in the process two of the kidnappers were arrested. The police backed up the vigilante group and the kidnappers were overwhelmed with their combined firepower and they abandoned their victims and ran away. Narrating the incident, the Chairman, Opoze Age Group in Igarra, who is also head of the vigilante group, Ibukun Dogo, said: “The driver of the 18-seater bus and two of the students escaped when the kidnappers rounded them up at gun point. They ran back to the highway where our vigilance group members were patrolling and broke the news to them. The vigilantes briefed me on phone and I ordered that they should go after them while I quickly informed the police for back up. While my men were pursuing the kidnappers, they were shooting and so my men were returning fire but ran out of ammunition. Though we were able to apprehend two of the kidnappers and they were taken to the police station. The students, who escaped, were called to come and identify them and they were able to identify one of them as the people that kidnapped their colleagues. I also called our hunters because two weeks ago, they reported that they sighted about eight boys in the forest, who shot at them and ran away and the hunters were also able to identify one of the kidnappers.”The vigilance group leader appealed for support for proper kiting, saying they were doing the work on voluntary basis.
The public relations officer of the university, Dr. (Mrs) Benedita Ehanire, while confirming the incident, said the school is expecting the team back after the rescue.
The four lecturers and 13 students would have been back but the management insisted that there must be a police back-up for them before they travel back to school. They are all safe and they are on their way, “she said. Also confirming the incident, spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, said a combined team of the police tactical squad, men from the Divisional Police Station in Igarra and Area Command were deployed by the Commissioner of Police, Lawal Jimeta, to rescue the lecturers and students.
Source : The sun
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