Police arrest 35 'armed robbers, 5 inmates who escaped from Edo prison'

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said it has arrested 35 suspects over their alleged involvement in sundry crimes including kidnapping and armed robbery across the country.

In a statement released on Tuesday, December 1, by the force, the suspects -- 34 male and 1 female -- were apprehended by the operatives of the FIB – Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Kaduna state.

Police said part of the arrested is a syndicate of a five-man gang who escaped from the Benin City Correctional Centre during the ENDSARS protests.

Their names were given as Onaruje Benjamin, Adebayo Opeyemi, a dismissed soldier, Peter Felix Osas, Frank Odion Oloye and Alhaji Hudu Musa a.k.a Mai Cellular.

Benjamin was on a death row at the time of escape after being convicted of for conspiracy and armed robbery.

Part of the statement read:

"Five (5) vehicles earlier snatched from their owners at gunpoint in different parts of the country were recovered from the gang. While Onaruje Benjamin is the leader of the gang and the arms bearer, Alhaji Hudu Musa is in charge of ferrying and disposing the stolen vehicles to the Niger Republic."Meanwhile, some of the items recovered from the suspects are 7 laptop computers, 1 anti-tracking device, 1 camouflage vest, 8 stolen but recovered vehicles, 1 stolen but recovered trailer truck (Mercedes Actros with reg. no. NNK 334 YT).

Others are 8 AK49 rifles, 111 rounds of AK47 ammunition,10 AK47 magazines, 1 Beretta Pistol with 6 rounds of live ammunition, 3 locally made pistols and 5 live cartridges.