Zenith Bank security guard arrested over alleged plan to kidnap bank manager

By IGBAUGBA EHIGIMETOR

The Police Command in Edo has arrested a security guard over alleged plan to kidnap the Manager of Zenith Bank branch in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s Spokesman, SP Bello Kontongs, who confirmed the arrest, said that the security man was arrested along with another suspect.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the security guard was said to have accused the bank manager, Mr Ralphael Ibodeme, of organising several bank robberies in the area.

However, it was gathered that Ibodeme had taken some administrative actions against the suspect over alleged acts of insubordination, which might have prompted him to plot the bank manager’s kidnap.

In the planned abduction of the bank manager, the security guard was said to have contacted somebody who reportedly recruited the second suspect.

However, the recruiter of the second suspect, who had just been released from prison after serving out his term for kidnapping, reportedly buckled and reported the plot to the police.

The arrest of the security guard and the second suspect was made possible, as the latter’s recruiter was asked by the police to play along in the planned abduction of the bank manager.

When quizzed by the police on his role in the plot, the security guard accused the bank manager of robbery, after which he said after further interrogation that he had had a running battle with Ibodeme.

The police spokesman, however, said that the report of the anti-kidnapping squad of the command showed that the security guard lied against the bank manager to avoid being prosecuted.

“The report from the anti-kidnapping squad in our command says the security guard lied against Ibodeme,” Kontongs stated.

He assured that the two suspects would be charged to court for attempted kidnapping. (NAN)