Gunmen kidnap two students, lecturer in Edo

Edo State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the kidnap of two students and a lecturer of the Institute of Construction Technology, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday night.

The suspected kidnappers were said to have invaded the institute in the dead of the night and abducted the victims.

Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Bello Kontongs, confirmed the incident in Benin City and said the police are on the trail of the kidnappers.

“It is true, three persons were kidnapped, two students and a staff. The police are after the kidnappers and we will get them,” he said.

Meanwhile, a man, Mr. Godwin Osakwe, who was kidnapped alongside his 17-year-old son, on Tuesday at Ahor village, along the Benin by-pass, are believed to have been released.

Mrs. Augustina Osakwe, who first raised the alarm of the kidnap, said it was difficult to raise the ransom demanded by their abductors and pleaded that they should be released unhurt.

“l have gone everywhere to look for N6 million to drop as ransom, but it is very difficult. I have been begging the kidnappers not to hurt my husband and son. I am still trying to raise the money for them. They were coming from the Oluku end of the by-pass and heading towards Benin-Auchi Road side when they were kidnapped,” she added.

It was gathered that upon sighting their victims, the hoodlums shot sporadically, forcing them to stop their car. The gunmen thereafter matched the victims into the bush and abandoned their car on the roadside.

Operatives of Ahor Police Station had since recovered the car.

It was gathered that the abductors contacted Mrs. Osakwe through her husband’s mobile phone, and asked for N6 million to secure the release of the father and his son.

A family source who pleaded anonymity, on Thursday, said that the victims had been released.

The source said that Osakwe and his son were released after the family paid the sum of N3 million as ransom to secure the release of the father and son early Thursday.

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