Two suspects that allegedly send text messages to females to pay a ransom or have them kidnapped have been arrested by men of the Anti kidnapping And Cybercrime unit of the Edo state police command.
The police arrested the suspects through high technology and intelligence gathering.
The suspects, Mallam Zingbon and Ehis Joshua, belong to a syndicate that specialises in sending kidnapping and assassination threat text messages to women.
According to Standard Gazette crime correspondent Festus Alenkhe learned that one of the suspects Mallam Zingbon from Plateau, was interviewed by a female entrepreneur who was to engage him as a private driver in Benin city Edo state.
But on the day of his resumption, the suspect, who already had his employer’s phone number, called to say he was no longer interested.
Standard Gazette gathered that he allegedly contacted some gang members who encouraged him to issue the woman with kidnap and death threat messages for ransom.
Zingbon called his employer, threatened to kidnap, rape and kill her if she didn’t pay a ransom.
In a series of text messages, Zingbon described the clothes the woman was wearing in an attempt to threaten her to submission.
The woman allegedly relocated to another city out of fear for her life, Standard Gazette gathered.
The woman informed the police, who used an advanced tracker to trace the suspects to their hideouts.
The horrified victim learned about the identities of her tormentors at the station.
The woman who is not named for security reasons told Standard Gazette that “I have a clean heart and wanted to employ the suspect but unknown to me that he has a different mindset”.
“I must thank the police for saving me because I was now lodging in different hotels in Benin City and environs”.
The prime suspect, Mallam, lamented “I was advised by my friends to get a telephone number to threaten the womàn so that she can give me some money.
“I am a security guard now in a house in the GRA in Benin city and l plead for forgiveness”.
The second suspect, Ehis, said, “my offence now is because I gave my Bank account number to Mallam for the illicit act. I regret it, please “.
The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bello Kontongs, advised anyone facing similar threats to report to the police for prompt action.
SP Kontongs said, “I got a signal on the incident, and I can confirm that two suspects were arrested for threat to kidnap using text messages and phone calls”.
“The two suspects will be charged to court soon”, the police say.