Nigeria Police officers on patrol

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Operatives of the Edo state police command have arrested four members of the kidnap gang that abducted the Managing Director of Ogba Zoo and Nature Park, Dr. Andy Ehanire.

They were arrested in Sapele and other communities in Delta State.

It was also gathered that the kidnappers who killed three policemen in the process, also collected N61 million ransom before he was released.

Dr. Ehanire, a brother to the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, spent three weeks in the den of the kidnappers before he was released in Delta State.

The kidnappers collected N25 million and another $100,000, it was learnt.

The sum of N800,000 was said to have been recovered from the wife of one of the suspects. She is now in detention for conspiracy.

Narrating how Dr. Ehanire was abducted and why they killed the three police operatives on hard duty on the fateful day, one of the suspected kidnappers, said they had earlier attempted to carry out the abduction twice but were prevented by the presence of policemen.

The suspect said it was the third attempt they shot the three policemen and took their target away through the waterways.

He also confessed their attempt to burn the vehicle they used for the operation failed as there was no matches to ignite a fire.

Edo Police spokesman, DSP Moses Nkombe, who confirmed the arrest, said efforts were on to arrest other fleeing suspects.