• Police onslaught on robbers, cultists in Delta yielding results
From Ben Dunno, Warri
Security experts have traced the history of kidnapping in the country to militancy in the Niger Delta, between 1999 and 2015. The militants who were agitating for resource control and self-actualisation resorted to kidnapping of expatriates and Nigerian top management staff in multi-national oil companies, to get attention of the Federal Government.
• Suspects and recovered items being paraded in Asaba
Not too long after the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua granted amnesty to thousands of militants in June 2009, in exchange for their demobilisation and disarmament, criminals from across the country took to kidnapping as a lucrative and profitable venture.
Security experts were not surprised that insurgents in the North, particularly Boko Haram, adopted the same kidnapping strategy in making quick money to survive and sustain their operations.
President, Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Dr Kehinde Prince Taiga, though applauded the efforts of the police but noted that lots still needed to be done, especially in the area of engaging technology in tracking the locations of kidnappers.
He commended the police approach of “taking the battle to the kidnappers in their various locations based on reliable intelligence gathering. The initiative by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Abaniwonda, to set up Special Team on Kidnapping (STK), to work in synergy with Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ughelli, paid off recently with the arrest of some notorious kidnappers including a fake pastor. Weapons such as one pump action, one Baretta pistol, one locally made cut to size gun and three live ammunition were recovered.
“On April 8, 2024, the operatives on the special assignment working on credible intelligence stormed one of the hotels in Udu LG and arrested a notorious kidnapper. The suspect gave useful information that led to the recovery of one pump action gun loaded with four live cartridges, one Beretta pistol and three rounds of 9mm ammunition.
“On April 9, 2024, operatives of Eagle-Net Special Squad on routine patrol along Asaba-Agbor Expressway, Isele-Asagba, flagged down a white Toyota Hiace bus driven by one Sunday who was subjected to a search and his bus.
“Three hundred and seventy-five bottles of CSP codeine, 44 bottles of CSC codeine, 120 sachets of tramadol and 33 sachets of Swinol were recovered from him.
“On April 10, 2024, acting on credible information that members of Eiye confraternity cult group were holding a meeting in one guest house at Owanta-Alisin in Ika North East LG, operatives of Raiders Squad stormed the hideout.
“On sighting the police team, the suspected cultists took to their heels and escaped. But a search conducted at the premises led to the recovery of one Beretta pistol, cult regalia and one life ammunition. Even as efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects are on going.”
The South-South Professional and Transparency Initiatives (SSPTI), also testified: “On March 29, 2024, the DPO, Ozoro, acted on a distressed call on suspected murder of one Jessica. Investigation revealed the victim was stabbed to death by her boyfriend one Raphael, over a disagreement. Suspect is in custody and investigation is on going.”
Dr. Ugochukwu Alozie, and Kayode Ayomide, SSPTI Chairman and Publicity Secretary respectively, recounted in a joint statement: “On April 1, 2024, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on routine patrol along Asaba/Benin Expressway encountered a group of six armed suspects. On sighting the operatives, the suspects in a bid to escape had a gunshot battle with the operatives, during which two of them were arrested with serious gunshot injuries.
“They were immediately taken to the hospital where they gave up the ghost. One locally made cut to size double barrel gun loaded with two live cartridges and a battle-axe recovered.
“Sequel to the series of complaints from residents on the activities of some hoodlums who operate with tricycles in the guise of being tricycle riders, robbed their unsuspecting passengers of their phones and withdrew money from their bank accounts, the DPOs in the metro were ordered to up their game and arrest those responsible.
“Consequently, on March 20, 2024, two suspects, Collins and David were arrested. Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects drove the tricycle while the other pretended to be a passenger. Over 10 witnesses have so far identified them”.
“On March 27, 2024, Anti-crime patrol team from Agbor Division while on stop and search duty along Ekuku-Agbor Road intercepted one John. One Beretta Pistol was recovered from him.
“On Match 25, 2024, while an indigene of Egbudu-Akah, Aniocha South LG was hunting, he sighted some suspected kidnappers dragging three girls into the bush. He immediately ran to Nsukwa Division and reported to the DPO.
“The DPO was immediately directed to mobilise policemen alongside the local vigilantes and go after them kidnappers. The kidnappers abandoned the victims and fled while firing at the policemen. One of the suspected kidnappers was arrested and the three girls of the same parents were rescued.
“Sequel to a kidnapping incident that occurred on October 31, 2023, in Orerokpe where the victim was later released after ransom was paid. Armed with available information, the command embarked on an intelligence based investigation since the date of the incidence which paid off when on March 5, 2024, with the aid of a technically generated intelligence led investigation.
“Two suspects, Peter and Emmanuel all of Evwreni in Ughelli South were arrested. These suspects were linked to the kidnap of the victim, and the victim identified the two suspects.”