BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Operatives of Edo police Command have apprehended a commercial tricycle (Keke) operator and five others for gun running in Benin City.
A member of Edo State Security Network (ESSN), allegedly involved in the act, is now on the run after he narrowly escaped arrest during police undercover operation in the state capital.
Police recovered two locally made cut-to-size double barrel guns in the operation.
Those in police net are the ‘Keke’ rider Innocent Odibhade,36, Godwin Idemudia, 27 alleged owner of the two recovered guns which he allegedly sold through one Tunde Bolaji, 36 to Stanley Oleode.
Others are Ali Bello, 42, and Akhere Ojie.
“I am Eiye man (a cult member) and a commercial bus driver. I got the gun from one of my members called Junior he has travelled out of Nigeria.
“I needed money to take care of my sick child, so I contacted one of my members Tunde Bolaji to help get a buyer for my gun, so he did. I don’t know the buyer”, Godwin Idemudia stated.
On his part, Tunde Bolaji explained: “I am a truck driver, he actually sent a message to me on WhatsApp that he wants to dispose off his gun because his son was sick and he needed money to treat him. I introduced Stanley to him and he bought the gun, that is all I know.”
However, the ‘Keke’ operator, Innocent Odibhade said a popular vigilante in his neighborhood implicated him by leaving the gun inside his tricycle without his knowledge.
“A vigilante in my area Tony aka Ribobo called me to go and collect something from someone, he was inside my ‘Keke’, after a distance, he dropped from my ‘Keke’. I didn’t know that he left a gun, he said I should collect something from someone at the junction.
“On my way going a Lexus car blocked me, armed policemen came out and found the guy inside my ‘Keke,’” Innocent Odibhade explained.
Parading the suspects before journalists in Benin, the Public Relations Officer for Edo State police Command SP Chidi Nwabuzor said: “01/11/2023, at about 1700hrs Police Operatives while acting on credible information on secret cult activities in the metropolis arrested one Godwin Idemudia ‘M’, age 27 years who made statement and confessed to being a member of Eiye Secret Cult Confraternity, that he illegally possessed two locally made cut-to-size double barrel guns which he later sold to one Stanley Oleode through the assistant of one Tunde Bolaji.
“On 03/11/2023 the operatives while expanding investigation arrested Tunde Balaji ‘M’, age 36 years, Stanley Oleode ‘M’, age 43 years, Innocent Odibhade ‘M’, age 36 years, Ali Bello ‘M’, age 42 years, and Akhere Ojie ‘M’, age 33 years. The items recovered from Innocent Odibhode are two locally made cut-to-size guns.
“The suspects made statements and confessed to being members of Eiye Secret Cult Confraternity. They will soon be charged to court.
