Operatives of Rivers State Police Command have arrested a member of a suspected armed gang in the state.
The state’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Emeka Nwonyi, disclosed this while parading suspects at the Command’s headquarters at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt.
Nwonyi said on Friday, August 25, at about 8:45p.m., police operatives received a distress call from the Control Room in Port Harcourt, regarding an abduction incident in Okpulor Community, Obio-Akpor Local Council.
He said the Hawk Team of the Command responded and arrested one member, and the driver of a notorious gang, identified as Ikechi James, 29.
According to Nwonyi, the police recovered the gang’s operational vehicle, a gold Toyota Camry Saloon Car with registration number Lagos FKJ 195 GV.
“Also, recovered from them are one round of 7.62mm live ammunition, four rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, one expended round of 5.56mm ammunition, and assorted charms.
“Investigation is ongoing to rescue the victim, arrest the remaining gang members, and recover their operational weapons,” he added.
However, the suspect, James, denied involvement in the kidnap operation.
According to James, he was from Emohua, and had no prior knowledge of the kidnap operation until a bag was seen in the trunk of his car containing a gun and charms.
“I was contacted by someone, who said he wanted to hire me for charter, and promised to pay me N150,000 after the ride.
“On our way, he asked me to trail the car in front. He ordered me to double-cross the car and I did.
That was when I noticed that the occupant was carrying a gun. So, they moved the person into my car and asked me to find my way.
“I do not know them from anywhere. I only knew one person when they called him ‘Small’ and I met him at the junction .
“So, I did not know the place, I noticed there was a bag behind my car. When the police stopped me, they searched and found the gun,” he added.
In another development, police operatives have arrested two suspected kidnappers of an 11-year-old child abducted on Monday, August 21, from Okuru-ama community, Abuloma, Port Harcourt.
The Commissioner of Police said the prime suspect, Ben Marvelous, was arrested in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, where he ran to evade arrest, while his accomplice, Israel Ekereminro, was arrested at Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt.
He added that efforts were ongoing to round up other members of the kidnap gang as well as mop up their operational weapons.
He said: “On Monday, August 21, at about 5:00 p.m., following a discreet investigation into the kidnap of an 11-year-old child from Okuru-ama, Abuloma, Port Harcourt, our operatives arrested the principal suspect, Ben Marvelous Geoffrey, 30, in Oron, Akwa-Ibom State.
“Another gang member, Israel Ikereminror, ‘m’, 29, was arrested in Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt.
“Both suspects, natives of Andoni Local Council in Rivers State, have confessed to the crime .
“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining gang members and recover their operational weapons.”
Also, the police boss said his men attached to the C4i Intelligence Unit on Monday, August 28, gunned down a suspected kidnapper seeking extra ransom from a freed kidnap victim.
The CP said the suspects after receiving an N2 million ransom, and subsequently releasing their victim, demanded an extra N3 million, but were rounded up by operatives while attempting to receive the extra ransom, and were shot while attempting to escape arrest.
“He was later rushed to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital for treatment, but died later. The victim’s SIM card was recovered from him, while efforts to get other suspects are ongoing,” he added.
