Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested two notorious suspects, Pedro Festus and Omorodion Felix, for the kidnapping and gruesome murder of a 22-year-old man, Joseph, in Edo State.
The suspects, members of a notorious kidnap gang, had been terrorizing residents in Delta and Edo states, specializing in kidnapping and car snatching. Their latest victim, Joseph, was attacked in front of his house at Uwore community and whisked away into a bush along the Benin-Akure Road.
According to reports, the suspects blocked Joseph’s vehicle at gunpoint and made away with his car. They then demanded a ransom of N10 million, but the family could only raise N250,000, which they sent to the suspects while negotiations continued.
Tragically, the suspects collected the ransom and still killed Joseph, selling his vehicle to an unknown buyer. The police later arrested the suspects, who confessed to the crime and murder. It was revealed that Joseph had identified the suspects as his neighbors in the same community.
Further investigations showed that one of the suspects, Pedro Festus, had a history of crime. He was previously arrested for armed robbery and charged to court under the name Ikoowonsa Owege. However, he escaped from custody during the #EndSars protest in 2020 and changed his name to Pedro Festus, using it to commit a series of kidnappings and murders in the state.
