The Edo State Police Command on Wednesday said that it had arrested seven persons in connection with the murder of a lecturer at the University of Benin, Prof. Paul Otasowie.
Otasowie, a senior lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, was on October 4 killed by gunmen in Ekehuan, Oredo Local Government Area of the state.
The deceased, also a former director of the institution’s Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme, was shot in front of his residence.
The state Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, during a press briefing at the police headquarters in Benin, explained that while two of the suspects were arrested before his arrival as the new commissioner, the five others were arrested between Monday and Tuesday.
He said, “Before my coming on board, there was this sad incident about the gruesome killing of Prof. Paul Otasowie. Before my assumption of duty on Monday, two suspects had been arrested.
“Between Monday and now (Wednesday) that I assumed duty, we have been able to arrest five additional suspects. The telephone belonging to the late professor has been recovered from one of the suspects. A family member of the late professor has identified the telephone.”
The new police commissioner also paraded 31 other suspected criminals arrested for various offences in the state.
He explained that the suspects included a gang of kidnappers whose plan to abduct a prominent citizen in the state was foiled by police operatives.
According to him, a syndicate which specialises in robbing fuel stations at night was also nabbed.
The commissioner promised to partner sister agencies and different stakeholders in the state, adding that “one vital information is better than 1,000 AK-47 rifles.”
Source: ( Punch Newspaper )