The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 65-year-old herbalist and 21 other suspects for armed robbery, cultism and unlawful assembly in the state.
Spokesman of the command, Chidi Nwabuzor, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, February 21, in Benin, said that the herbalist and one other suspect were arrested on January 31 by the command’s surveillance team.
According to the PPRO, they were arrested following investigation into cases of unlawful possession of firearm and armed robbery. One pump-action gun was recovered from them.
Nwabuzor added that two others suspected of conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearm and armed robbery were also arrested by the police surveillance team.
He said that the gang used Mercedes GLK and a black Lexus SUV for their armed robbery operations to hoodwink their victims.
The command spokesman said a pump-action gun, four cut-to-size locally made guns and nine live cartridges were recovered from them.
He noted that the suspects had confessed to have robbed many people between Benin and Auchi in Edo.
Similarly, the police spokesperson said 13 people suspected of participating in the Feb. 15 protest over banknotes were arrested, while five others were nabbed for cultism and unlawful possession of firearm.
He said that the suspects would be prosecuted after investigation.