The Edo Police Command on Wednesday said it has arrested a man with 13 bags of substance suspected to be Cannabis sativa.
The Edo Commissioner for Police, CP Lawan Jimeta, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the command’s achievements in the last two weeks.
Jimeta disclosed that the suspect was arrested last Friday at about 08:00 hours along Lagos-Benin Expressway.
He, however, said that the case would be transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further necessary action.
According to him, the arrest was in continuation of the onslaught against crime and criminality by the command in the state.
“You will recall that in the command’s last press brief held on the 26th of February, 2020 some of the suspects arrested were paraded and achievements recorded presented to members of the press.
“Amongst them were the kingpin of the kidnap gang that killed three policemen at Ogba Zoo in 2017 and other criminal gangs, including the conman that was using the name of the Commissioner of Police to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
“However, I am delighted to inform you that as a result of strategies emplaced by the command to checkmate crime and criminality in the state, there has been a downward drop in crime since the beginning of the year”, he said.
He also disclosed that within the period two suspects were arrested for alleged child abuse.
He explained that the suspects, aged 26 and 24 years, were arrested on March 3 along the Third East Circular Junction, off Upper Sokponba Road, in the state capital.
He said they were caught with a set of twins and two other babies of different mothers and also for conspiring with the mothers of the said children and using them to beg for alms.
The CP further disclosed that within the period under review, the command arrested no fewer than 30 suspected cultists belonging to different confraternities for cultism, disturbance of public peace, armed robbery and murder.
He however said that 13 of them have been charged to court after the conclusion of investigation.
He also disclosed that the command within the period arrested five suspected kidnappers two of whom were involved in the kidnapping of four lecturers and 13 students of the Department of Geology, University of Benin.
He said that the victims have been rescued unhurt and have returned to their institution.
Jimeta disclosed that a total of 41 suspects were arrested within the period.
He said the figure were five suspects arrested for alleged kidnapping, 30 for alleged cultism and one for alleged robbery.
Others include three suspects arrested for alleged rape, two arrested for alleged child abuse, while 15 suspects have been charged to court.
He said items recovered from the suspects were five locally made guns, 13 lives cartridges and four expended cartridges. (NAN)
