Edo EID explosion: Police parade nursing mother, welder

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro Benin

Police in Benin has paraded a nursing mother and a welder arrested in connection with Monday explosion at unlicensed Improvised Explosive Device (EID’s) factory at Iddo Community in Etsako East Local Government Area of the state where one person died and two others wounded.
Parading the suspects at the Police Command yesterday in Benin City, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday at Okugbe area, near Iddo Okpella in Etsako east Local Government Area of the State.
The suspects are; Idris Ibrahim, 22, Zainab Ibrahim and Oyeza Abdul.
Kokumo said: “on the day in question, one of the IEDs in the gang’s arsenal exploded and severed one of the lower limbs of one of its members named Sanusi who died instantly”.
The CP disclosed that the development caused panic and pandemonium in the area and its environs.
According to him, the gang leader identified as Idris Hassa Abdulmalik who is said to be an indigene of Kogi State fled while the three other members were apprehended.
Kokumo, revealed that a Toyota Saloon car marked: Abuja-ABC371HK loaded with IEDs was recovered from the suspects.
He listed the exhibits to include: one Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) without the launcher, one Beretta Pistol with seven rounds of .9mm live ammunition, two riot gunners and four Smoke pistols.
Others includes: 23 empty fire extinguisher cylinders, 18 plastic bottles of prepare borne IEDs, 21 expended smoke cartridges, 17 pieces of pipes, two timer, four remote control panel and four remote control switches.
The CP explained that eight, nine-volt batteries, two gallons of gun powder, electric junction boxes, three hydrometers, five 500ml bottles of highly inflammable chemicals, half bag of potassium Nitrate amongst others were also recovered.
In an interview, Idris Ibrahim, one of the suspects said his brother has a secret room where he keeps the explosive devices.
Ibrahim, who said, his brother is a commercial transporter plying Auchi to Abuja, explained that he discovered last two weeks that his brother is into manufacturing of explosive devices.
He said, he had been living with his brother in the last two months.
On her part, Oyeiza Abdul (22), wife to the gang leader, also disclosed that his husband has a secret room where he keeps manufactured explosive devices.