A key suspect linked to the abduction of an Edo doctor and the killing of the doctor’s brother has been arrested inside the same hospital where the victim once worked, following a coordinated police operation.
Police authorities said the arrest marked a major breakthrough in the investigation, as officers closed in on members of the kidnapping gang after weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance, and targeted operations aimed at dismantling the criminal network responsible for the crime.
According to the police, the suspects were part of a group that abducted two brothers from their home, during which one of them was killed while the other regained freedom after a heavy ransom was paid.
Investigators disclosed that the gang members were tracked separately before being picked up at different locations as the probe deepened.
Confirming the development, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said sustained intelligence-led operations led to the arrests, stressing that the command remained determined to bring all those involved to justice.
“One of the suspects was intercepted during a routine bush-combing operation carried out by operatives working with local hunters and vigilante groups, and he was later identified during an identification parade as part of the kidnapping gang,” Ikoedem said.
He added that the remaining suspects were arrested after they unknowingly walked into a trap at a medical facility, explaining that it was the surviving victim who raised the alarm upon sighting them.
“The moment the victim identified them inside the hospital, operatives immediately swung into action and effected their arrest without incident,” the police spokesman said.
Ikoedem further disclosed that one of the suspects was directly responsible for collecting the ransom paid during the operation, noting that investigators have already established their roles in the abduction.
“The suspects have confessed to their involvement, and efforts have been intensified to discreetly unravel the entire criminal syndicate behind kidnappings in the area,” he added.
AFRIPOST reports that the brothers were abducted on January 2 at their residence near Igbira Camp in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, where the incident sparked public outrage and renewed calls for tougher action against kidnapping across the state.