By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
Police operatives have recorded yet another uncanny feat in the battle against kidnapping in the State, arresting no fewer than eight suspected kidnappers in a swoop.
Our correspondent gathered that the suspects were arrested by operatives attached to CP Decoy Squad and Sapele Division at their meeting point at Amukpe Area of Sapele Town.
They were said to have kidnapped a 43yrs old woman (name withheld), along Shell Road Sapele on 19/11/2023 at about 2100hrs, while driving in her ML-350 Mercedez Benz.
As learnt, the victim was taken in her vehicle, until the vehicle ran out of fuel and was moved her into their operational tricycle.
It was gathered that she was released on 22/11/2023 upon payment of N2million ransom.
The Delta State Police Command Spokesperson DSP Bright Edafe who made the disclosure in a release on Thursday, identified the suspects as Raymond Etchie, 46, Felix Okoro, 40,(operational driver), Oghene Ogaga sylvester, 45, Henry Edeki, 35, Ominike Sunday, Jerusalem Sunday, 35yrs and Theophilus Akpofi, 29yrs.
He hinted that all the suspects have confessed to the crime, admitting their various roles and have also been identified by the victim.
Edafe added that the suspects during interrogation disclosed the location of the victim’s vehicle which was later recovered at Oghara Town. Effort is been intensified to recover the syndicate’s operational weapons.
The release reads, ” Upon receipt of an information related to the kidnap of a 43yrs old woman (name with-held), who was kidnapped by a syndicate of armed men in a tricycle along Shell Road Sapele on 19/11/2023 at about 2100hrs, while driving in her ML-350 Mercedez Benz.
“The Victim was taken in her vehicle, until the vehicle ran out of fuel, they moved her into their operational tricycle. She was released on 22/11/2023 upon payment of Two Million Naira (#2.000,000) ransom.
” The Commissioner of Police CP Wale Abass detailed the operatives of CP – DECOY Squad, led by the commander ASP Julius Robinson, directing that they utilize all technically generated intelligence to get the perpetrators of the act.
” Consequently, on 25/11/2023, the team embarked on a sting operation assisted by the DPO Sapele which led to the arrest of the syndicate’s gang leader Morrison Godwin, a 41yrs old male suspect from Okpara Water Side Community in Ethiope East LGA of Delta State at Amukpe Area of Sapele Town at about 1100hrs of the same date.
” The suspect confessed to the crime and revealed an intended meeting with other gang members on 25/11/2023 to strategize on another kidnapping operation. Armed with this information, the team laid an ambush at their meeting point on 26/11/20023 and arrested the other gang members viz: Raymond Etchie ‘m’ 46yrs who negotiated and received the said ransom; Felix Okoro ‘m’ 40yrs who is one of the syndicate’s operational driver; Oghene Ogaga sylvester ‘m’ 45yrs who guarded the victim; Henry Edeki ‘m’ 35yrs, Ominike Sunday ‘m’ 23yrs, Jerusalem Sunday ‘m’ 35yrs, and Theophilus Akpofi “m” 29yrs. All suspects confessed to the crime admitting their various roles and have been identified by the victim.
“The suspects during interrogation disclosed the location of the victim’s vehicle which was later recovered at Oghara Town. Effort is been intensified to recover the syndicate’s operational weapons”.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Wale Abass has applauded the DECOY Squad for their diligence that culminated in the arrest of the kidnappers.
He also assured the public that more achievements are on the way, as the command is out to ensure the collective safety of the people of Delta State.
In addition, he once more urged the public to always trust the Police to effectively tackle crime in the State and to ensure that residents sleep with their two eyes closed.
” In the same vein, they are to note that security is everyone’s business hence the need to partner with the Police and help with all the needed information to tackle crime cannot be overemphasized”, the Police boss implored.
