SSS parades Rhodes-Vivour’s wife, daughter’s abductors

The State Security Service, SSS, yesterday in Benin, Edo State paraded three men held in connection with the abduction of Mrs. Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, wife of a Supreme Court Justice, Bode Rhodes-Vivour, daughter and driver.
The suspects, Messrs Austine Umukoro, Wisdom Ovwigho and Oghenero Ogheneriwe, were arrested at No. 77, Noruwa Street, situated around Upper Sakponba Road in Benin.
Meanwhile, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has sworn that the state government would demolish the building used by the kidnappers.
The demolition, it was gathered, may also extend to another building, Christy Guest House, from where the suspects allegedly operated.
Briefing the governor and the media on efforts to curb kidnapping in the state, the state Director of SSS, Alhaji Bello Bakori, said Umukoro, Ovwigho and Ogheneriwe, as well as five other members of their gang who fled before the arms of the law could reach them, were using the house as a hideout to keep victims for ransom.
Bakori, who gave the names of the fleeing suspects as Kelly, Koto, Shaggy, Maxwell and Afoke, said they were alerted of the presence of security men in the premises by Umukoro before he was nabbed.
The SSS director added that the fleeing gang members were being monitored as they were presently escaping through Ughelli and Warri in Delta State even as “the command has put measures in place to get all of them arrested soon”.
He said: “Sequel to the abduction of Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, wife of a Supreme Court Justice, Bode Rhodes-Vivour, her daughter and driver on 10th May, 2013 along Benin – Ore Expressway, a joint operation comprising men of the Nigeria Army and operatives of this service from Rivers and Edo states’ commands was carried out in a bid to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
“The result is that the following three suspects, who are members of the kidnap syndicate that abducted the justice’s wife, were arrested at No. 77, Noruwa Street, off 3 House, Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City.
“However, other members of the gang, who lived at Zomi-Zomi area, Upper Sakponba, were alerted by Austine Umukoro of the presence of security men in their premises after which they escaped.”
Speaking with our correspondent later, Oshiomhole said no one had the right to make money out of innocent Nigerians’ pains.
He said: “This house that has been used for kidnapping, we will make an example of it, so that people will know that when we make a pronouncement, we execute it. We will not spare any effort so that the risks the men of the DSS are taking will be complemented.
“Any hotelier who does not comply with security requirements of documenting people who stay in their hotels and rooms, we will demolish their hotels. It is better to demolish two or three houses to keep the whole community safer.”