The Edo State Police Command paraded suspected kidnappers and other suspects following intelligence-led arrests.
The arrest of four suspected kidnappers and an Islamic teacher in Edo State has raised questions about how criminal networks operate and the alleged support they receive from people outside their ranks.
The Edo State Police Command says it arrested the suspects following intelligence gathering and linked them to kidnapping activities in parts of Edo North Senatorial District.
The police paraded the suspects on Tuesday alongside six others in Benin City, the state capital.
The Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daor, said the suspected kidnappers had terrorised residents around Auchi, Jattu and Okpella before officers tracked and arrested them in Niger State.
Among those arrested was 52-year-old Islamic teacher Jubril Ibrahim, who the police accused of preparing charms for kidnappers.
Ibrahim denied the allegation.
He said he teaches the Quran to Almajiri children and only prayed for one of the suspects after the man’s mother asked him to pray for her son’s safety because of his frequent travels.
Ibrahim, however, acknowledged that he knew the suspect possessed an AK-47 rifle.
One of the suspected kidnappers, 24-year-old Ahmadu Suleiman, told police that he had worked with different kidnapping groups across the country.
He said he took part in a kidnapping operation in Auchi, where he claimed to have received N1 million from the ransom.
Suleiman also described how the group allegedly selected targets, saying they looked for expensive houses and cars before abducting victims and taking them into the bush.
His account could not be independently verified.
The arrests highlight the importance of intelligence gathering in tackling kidnapping networks that operate across state boundaries.
The police also paraded a 21-year-old suspect accused of stealing a baby around Ring Road in Benin, while officers recovered a stolen vehicle.
The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, urged residents to provide credible information that could help the police identify and disrupt criminal activities.
The police have continued their investigation into the suspects and their alleged links to kidnapping networks.
The case also underscores the challenge of identifying people who may provide indirect support to criminal groups, while ensuring that allegations against suspects are properly investigated before they are treated as established facts.
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