Crime
Police nab notorious motorcycle snatcher in Edo
A serial motorcycle, Jonah Ehis, also known as “Ugolor-pikin” has been arrested by operatives of the Edo State Police Command after he allegedly killed one Gazali Hassan and stole his motorcycle in Igueben, Edo state.
Hassan, who had been a regular transporter for Ehis, was unsuspectingly lured into a deadly trap.
On the fateful day, Ehis, along with an accomplice, hired Hassan to convey them from Igueben to Ubiaja and back—a routine trip that tragically became Hassan’s last.
During the journey, the group was stopped by officers from the Nigeria Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Uromi for a routine search.
Finding nothing suspicious, the officers allowed them to continue their journey.
However, what awaited Hassan in Ubiaja was far from ordinary.
In a secluded bush area, Ehis and his accomplice turned on Hassan, beheading him and leaving his body in the wilderness. The duo then stole Hassan’s motorcycle and attempted to return to Igueben.
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Their return, however, raised suspicion among the same vigilant officers who had stopped them earlier. The officers noticed that the group had returned with only two riders instead of three, and the original driver, Hassan, was conspicuously absent.
Further scrutiny revealed that the suspects could not provide the necessary documentation for the motorcycle, nor could they unlock a phone that was later identified as belonging to the victim.
As the officers intensified their investigation, a phone call to Ehis’s supposed wife failed to provide a valid passcode, further implicating the suspects. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the police decided to detain the men for a more thorough investigation.
The following day, members of the Arewa/Hausa community in Igueben launched a search for their missing brother, Hassan, but initially came up empty-handed. Meanwhile, a relative of one of the suspects unwittingly led another Hausa man to the Uromi police station to negotiate the suspects’ release.
It was there that the missing motorcycle was spotted, leading to the unraveling of the crime. When Hassan’s phone, which had been in the suspects’ possession, began ringing, the full extent of their criminal activities became apparent.
Under interrogation, Ehis confessed to the murder and led the police to the location where Hassan’s body was dumped. Further investigations revealed that this was not Ehis’s first crime of this nature; it was the third time he had killed a Hausa man and stolen his motorcycle.
The community of Igueben, already reeling from the loss, has been further disturbed by reports that Ehis has long been a source of fear and suspicion, with strange occurrences often following his visits from Benin, where he is said to reside.
The arrest of Jonah Ehis marks a significant breakthrough in curbing such heinous crimes in the region. The police are continuing their investigation, and the community hopes that justice will be served for the victims of these senseless acts.