SSS Parades Suspected Kidnappers of Rhodes-Vivour's Wife, Daughter

Three members of a gang that kidnapped the wife, daughter and driver of a judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, in May, this year, were among the seven suspects paraded by the State Security Service (SSS) in Benin City, Tuesday. The Rhodes-Vivour family was held captive for 18 days by their captors.

The other suspects paraded were three extortionists who threatened to kill their victim if he didn’t pay up and a musician who was paraded for trafficking in persons.

Edo State Director of SSS, Mr. Bello Bakori, who paraded the suspects before the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and media men said the suspects had confessed to the crime and that three members of the kidnappers’ gang who abducted the judge’s family members were still at large.

He said Mrs. Rhodes-Vivour and her daughter were kept in a house in Upper Sakpoba area of Benin City from where the suspects were arrested. All the kidnap suspects are from Delta State while the trafficker in persons hails from Edo State.

Oshiomhole, who was visibly miffed that despite government’s warning that landlords should screen their tenants to ensure that their properties are not used by criminal elements, said the buildings used by the suspects to hold the judge’s wife, daughter and driver would be demolished at the appropriate time.

“For the landlords, we have already made the decision that anyone that aids and abets kidnapping will have his structure demolished. Any hotelier who does not follow the instruction of documenting who stays in their hotel, and such are used for kidnapping or human trafficking, we will demolish it. Nobody has the right to make money out of the pains of Nigerians,” he said.