Operatives of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) have apprehended a 45-year-old ex-convict, Owen Osas, on allegations of armed robbery in the state. The suspect had previously been arrested in 2023 for a similar offense and was found in possession of a cut-to-size gun by the police at that time. He was subsequently charged to court and remanded at the Okon Correctional Centre in Benin City before regaining his freedom in 2025.
Sources indicate that Osas allegedly returned to criminal activities shortly after his release, acquiring another locally made firearm. Over the weekend, he reportedly attacked a man and a woman at their residence in the Eayen axis of Benin City around 9pm, dispossessing them of their phones and cash. However, operatives of the corps, who were on patrol, intercepted the suspect minutes after the incident. A cut-to-size gun was recovered from him during a search.
In an interview, the suspect admitted to being a member of a cult group, claiming he carried the weapon for self-protection against rival groups. “The person who initiated me into the confraternity gave me the gun, and I use it to protect myself,” he said. The Deputy Commander of the Corps, Richard Balogun, who confirmed the arrest, stated that the stolen phones were recovered from the suspect. He added that the suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
