12th June, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
The Edo State Police Command says it has commenced investigation into one of its officers allegedly implicated in cases of kidnapping in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state.
Local vigilantes and hunters in the area had reportedly engaged a gang of kidnappers in shootout while attempting to abduct a driver and his passengers, and in the process, killed one of the kidnappers and arrested another while other escaped.
It was gathered that the arrested kidnapper mentioned a police officer from Uromi division and some locals as their accomplices in kidnappings in the area.
Following the disclosure, youths in the area took to the streets of Uromi and called for the arrest of those implicated.
Confirming the incident to journalists in Benin, the State Police Commissioner, CP Funsho Adegboye, stated that the implicated officer is undergoing “very discreet investigation.”
He added: “We got the wind of the officer that has been mentioned by arrested kidnapper. As I am talking to you, some youths are on the street protesting the involvement of indigenes, may be a traditional rule or whatever in cases of kidnapping in the area.
“We are not taking it with a pinch of salt, the case is under very discreet investigation, we have been given a blanket order by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, that no mater who is involved should be dealt with according to the law of the land.”
Adegboye assured that the police will make its findings known to the public.