From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Edo State Police command, yesterday, arrested four persons who disguised as military personnel for alleged armed robbery and cultism in the state.
Parading the suspects in Benin, the command’s image maker, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the suspects were arrested by the Intelligence unit of the command following a petition to the police commissioner by one Grace Ainabe over the robbery incident in her house.
He said the suspects, Iyabo Victor 35, Osas Aganmwonyi 28, Nosa Owie 24, Idi Etukudo, in military camouflage uniform allegedly broke into the house of one Grace and stole her belongings including money, phones and jewelries.
Chidi said the suspects led by, Iyabor Victor (prime suspect) in full military uniforms broke into Grace house located in Teboga community, off Lucky way, Benin City and stole her property.
“The suspect entered her house through the POP ceiling and robbed the entire families of their belongings and forcefully transfered the sum of
N447,000.00 from the victims’ account”
” They collected her phone and forcefully obtained her secret code number for them to
have access to her bank detail”.
According to him, after transferring, they changed the money to foreign currency and shared it among themselves before they were arrested by the police.
Chidi listed the stolen items recovered from the suspects to include, Iphone13 valued N500,000.00, Iphone 6 valued N48,000.00, jewelry valued 850,000, Hisense valued 380,000, Table fan valued N140,000, Standing fan N95, 000 and LG split Aircondition N360,000.
Others include, washing machine values N 210,000.00, Inverter battery/accessories N600,000
12.5 kg cylinder N27,000, table gas cooker N29 000.00, stabilizer (500wt) N75,000 among others.
He said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations is completed.
In an interview with journalists, the prime suspect said an inlaw to the woman identified as Johanna informed them that the woman has money and that they should go and collect money from her.
“I got the military uniform from the house of a military officer who died sometimes ago.
“We entered the woman’s house through the ceiling, forcefully collected her pin and transfered the money in her account”
He said the inlaw who gave them the information is at large, saying hardship forced them to go for the robbery.