Police explained that the hoodlums, having wounded the journalist also made away with his Honda Acura Jeep marked Edo-BEN-636 FK leaving him to wreath with the pool of his own blood.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo, CP Johnson Kokumo stated this when he paraded the suspects before journalists at the state police command headquarters, Benin City, today May 9, 2018.
He disclosed that the gunmen attacked the Journalist, Ferdinand Osakwe, the Edo Central Bereau of ITV/Radio Benin, along Wire road in the state capital on April 19, 2018.
CP Kokumo further maintained that the seven-man gang also abducted and murdered one Osagie Amayanvbo while driving in his Toyota Corolla Saloon car with registration number Lagos-JJJ-349-DD along Iyansighe Street, Off TV road, Benin City on April 20, 2018.
The Police boss added that the same gang kidnapped one Rita Aborowa and her five months old baby while driving in her unregistered Nissan Altima Saloon car on April 24, 2018.
He said efforts were being made to arrest other members of the gang with a view to recovering the vehicle.
CP Kokumo gave the names of the suspects as Idowu Ohuobamu, 23, Unuaghata Ebose, 20, Osasumwen Oni, 24, and Obata Omorotie, 18.
Others included Marvis Esewi, 18, Austine Emmanuel, 20 and Osamudiamen Ukponmwan, 23.
He stated that exhibits recovered from them included two locally made pistols, three pump action guns, six locally made double barrel guns, one cut-to-size double barrel gun, nine live and six expended cartridges and some wraps of weeds suspected to be cannabis.
Confessing to the crime, one of the suspects Idowu Ohunbamu admitted to have shot the Journalist on the face and killed Osagie Amayanvbo while Unuaghata Ebose said he used block to smash the head of Osagie Amayanvbo when their guns failed to fire in their den where they took him.
Others were paraded for alleged involvement in armed robbery and cultism in Edo State.
The Commissioner of Police who reaffirmed the command readiness to make the state a hotbed for criminals assured members of the public of safety of lives and property.
He explained that the command in its fight against crime and criminality in the State has made significant achievements, calling on members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious movements in their locality to the Police.
