Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a suspected cultist also said to be a member of a syndicate of notorious kidnappers.
The arrest was a sequel to the investigation of the murder of one Regina Ogana, who was kidnapped alongside her husband and other members of her family on August 2, 2023.
The Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this on Sunday in a signed statement made available to journalists in Warri.
Edafe said the Command received another distress call from the husband of the deceased that one of his brothers, Eseoghene Ezekiel Obeje, aged 28, made a suspicious call to him that he was kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of N500,000 and money was transferred into the said Eseoghene’s account as his ransom.
Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, gave a marching order to the Divisional Police Officer Oreropke, to embark on an intelligence-led investigation and ensure that the perpetrators were arrested.
The PPRO stated that following the CP’s order, on August 11, 2023, at about 1145hrs acting on technically generated information, operatives of the Divisional Anti-Crime Patrol team led by the DPO CSP Paul E. Oboware stormed Odovie community, Ughelli North LGA and arrested the said Eseoghene Ezekiel Obeje at the same spot where the sum of N1,300,000.00 was earlier paid as ransom for the release of his elder brother and husband of the deceased.
According to the police spokesman, investigation revealed that the said Eseoghene is a member of Eiye Confraternity and that he faked his own kidnap and is also suspected to have masterminded the kidnap of his brother and other family members which led to the death of Regina Ogana.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the suspect is presently in custody while an investigation is ongoing.
In another development, on August 10, 2023, at about 2130hrs, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, acting on a complaint received via petition, stormed the Issele-Azagba community in Aniocha North Local Government Area and arrested one Igwe Uche (29), Victor Agogozia (30) and Afam Okoro Victor (30), all residents of Issele-Azagba.
Upon a thorough search of the suspects, one locally made cut-to-size pistol, one single-barrel gun, and one live cartridge were recovered.
The PPRO stated that the suspects and exhibits are in custody and effort is being intensified to arrest other members of their gang.
Also, on August 13, 2023, at about 2130 hrs, acting on credible intelligence received about some hoodlums who were on their way to attack the unsuspecting person(s) along Umusadege quarters, the DPO Kwale Division, CSP Edwin Igoche, in a proactive manner, swiftly mobilised crack team of the division to Mid-western road.
In the process, two suspects namely Ugo Uzoka of Umusadege Quarters, aged 31 years, and Ebinum Snu, aged 33 years were arrested during which one cut-to-size gun and six cartridges were recovered from them.
The suspects are in custody and the Investigation is ongoing.
