Police arrest 8 suspected kidnappers, rescue 4

Delta state police command, has arrested eight suspected kidnappers, rescued four kidnapped victims.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufeni Abaniwonda, stormed into the dens of suspected kidnappers in Sapele and Ughelli areas of the state to carry out the rescue operation.

The police public relations officer for Delta State Command, Bright Edafe, in a signed statement made available to journalists in Warri on Friday, said that the special squad led by ASP Julius Robinson arrested six suspected kidnappers.

They recovered one pump action gun, three Barretta pistols, one revolver pistol, one locally made cut-to-size gun, and they have also rescued three kidnapped victims.

“On April 17, 2024, at about 2330hrs, while working on the credible intelligence received about a syndicate of armed robbers terrorising Ughelli and its environs, ASP Julius Robinson led his team, in a sting operation, stormed Sapele Town and arrested the leader of one of the suspected syndicate known as Ibrahim Usman, a 35 years old male indigene of Abaji Town, Kogi State”

The statement explained that the following day, “at about 0530hours, the suspect led the operatives to Itsekiri Road area of Sapele town, where two of his gang members, Joseph Aondohbmba (22), of Gbeji community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State and Collins Ovo, alias Gbegbes (23), male suspect from Adeji community in Okpe LGA, Delta State were nabbed. ”

While noting that an investigation is ongoing in the matter, the police statement further noted that on April 24, 2024, the team led by ASP Julius Robinson again stormed the Ogorode Area of Sapele town, at about 0730hours and arrested one Daniel Okete (32), a native of Jesse community in Ethiope-West LGA, but resides in Sapele.

Upon search, a Barretta pistol was recovered in Okete’s residence which he confessed that he bought from one Goodluck Sokutu, presently in custody.

Okete, upon further interrogation, confessed to being the third in command of ‘Eiye Confraternity’ in Sapele town.

Also, on April 25, 2024, at about 1000hrs, while acting on the confessions from a gun runner already in custody, Goodluck Sokutu, the police operatives recovered a Barretta pistol at an uncompleted building in the Amukpe area of Sapele where it was hidden.

In another development, sequel to a case of kidnapping reported at the ‘A’ Division, Ughellli by the husband of a kidnapped victim (name withheld), the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Sadiq immediately detailed ASP Julius Robinson to lead his team of operatives on special assignment.

Also, on April 22, 2024, the combined teams of police operatives and members of the vigilantes, armed with intelligence stormed the Eruemukohwarian community in Ughellli North LGA of Delta state, suspected to be the hoodlums’ hideout.

The hoodlums, on sighting the security teams, took to their heels, abandoning the victim who was rescued unhurt.

Two of the suspects, Edadfe Akporere (27), of the Eruemukohwarian community in Ughellli North LGA, and Igho Midiraya (34), of Uvwianughe-Agharo in Ughellli North LGA were arrested after a hot chase by the police operatives while the suspects have been identified by the victim.

The PPRO stated that efforts are being intensified to arrest the other fleeing gangsters.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police for the State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has commended the officers and team members for their relentless efforts in the fight against crime within the Ughelli and Sapele regions.

The CP further assured the public that these achievements will, without doubt, send a clear message to perpetrators of the crime that they will be caught and mercilessly prosecuted with no fear or favor as provided by the laws of the land.