A vigilante group and the Joint Task Force in the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, on Sunday foiled a robbery operation in Oka 4, around First Page Hotel in Upper Sakponba, Benin City.

The suspects allegedly confessed to burning of police stations and looting of shops in some areas in Benin during the #EndSARS protest.

Acting on a tip-off, the JTF personnel and vigilantes stationed at the council secretariat in Idogbo apprehended two armed robbery suspects.

A member of the vigilante group, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told PUNCH Metro that residents gave the security personnel the tip-off and they immediately moved to the scene of the robbery and arrested two of the robbers.

The source said, “I must commend members of the public, who gave us the information that led to the arrest of the suspects. We moved in with the JTF as soon as we got the information and it is good that they (suspects) were arrested.

“Hopefully, their arrest will serve as a deterrent to others, who are planning to carry out robberies in the state.

“The suspects confessed that they masterminded the breaking into shops and burning of police stations in Upper Sakponba during the #EndSARS demonstrations last year.”

Recall that the Idogbo Police Post, Ugbekun; and the St. Saviour and Dumez Road police stations were burnt during the protests and were accompanied by looting of markets, homes and shops by hoodlums.    ,,