Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested two suspects for allegedly kidnapping one Imubhin Juliet, a pastor of Deeper Life Church in Benin City.
NEWSUNPLUG reports that the suspects also attacked some members inside the church.
The State Police Commissioner, Funsho Adegboye, who disclosed this to Journalists in Benin City, gave the names of the suspects as Brown John, 26, and Ayodele Aziz, 30.
He said the suspects were arrested by operatives of the command’s crack team along Benin-Auchi road while acting on a tip-off, two days after the incident.
According to him, one Imubhin Juliet, a pastor of deeper life Church reported that she and some members were attacked inside the church while worshiping.
“Suddenly three armed men walked into the church with guns and robbed them of their valuables. She further reported that she was abducted by the armed robbers and taken away in her Toyota Highlander jeep with Reg. No. AGL739HR to an unknown destination where they forced her to disclose her ATM PIN number, which they used to syphon her money.
“The operatives of the command crack team while acting on a tip-off intercepted the vehicle with the driver along Auchi Road and vehicle was recovered from them,” he said.
In an interview, one of the suspects, Brown John, said he was not involved in the alleged robbery and kidnapping.
He said he was only following his friend to escort a new vehicle to be delivered to the owner.
“My friend only asked me to join him to escort a vehicle that would be delivered to its owner. We were on the road when the police arrested us.
“I only got to know that it was a stolen vehicle after we were arrested by the police.”
On his part, Ayodele, who also denied involvement in the crime, said it was his friend, now at large, that asked him to escort the vehicle to be delivered to the owner, after promising to give him money.
He explained that on the fateful day, he went to attend OPC meeting and that immediately after the meeting, he went to visit his father in his house, noting that he knew nothing about the robbery incident.
“I met my friend at a drinking joint, we were drinking when I received a call that they are taking a vehicle to the owner.
“He asked me to join them to escort the vehicle to the owner, which I agreed because he said they will pay money for escorting the vehicle,” he said.