Following the gang's attempted kidnapping, which its agents stopped, the Delta State Police Command announced on Thursday that eight suspected kidnappers had been taken into custody.While announcing the arrests in a statement, Delta Police spokesperson DSP. Bright Edafe stated that the operation was successful because the Command continued to focus on protecting the lives of all state residents who value peace.
According to Edafe, it helped the Delta Police Force apprehend the members of the abduction ring that was posing a threat in the areas of Oghara, Sapele, Warri, and surrounding areas.
He stated that the operatives took action after learning about the abduction of a 43-year-old woman (name withheld), who was taken hostage by a group of armed men on November 19, 2023, at approximately 9 p.m., while driving her ML-350 Mercedes Benz in a tricycle along Shell Road Sapele.
The victim was driven in her car until the fuel ran out, at which point the accused abductors transferred her into their functional tricycle.
November 22 was the date of her release; the ransom of Two Million Naira (#2,000,000) had to be paid before her release.
"The ASP Julius Robinson, the commander of the CP-DECOY Squad, was briefed by Commissioner of Police CP Wale Abass, and instructed to use all technically generated intelligence to apprehend the perpetrators of the act," Edafe stated.
As a result, on November 25, the team launched a sting operation with the help of the DPO Sapele, which resulted in the arrest of Morrison Godwin, the 41-year-old male suspect from Okpara Water Side Community in Ethiope East LGA of Delta State, at the Amukpe Area of Sapele Town at approximately 11 a.m. on the same date. Godwin is the leader of the syndicate's gang.
"The suspect admitted to the crime and disclosed that he planned to meet with other gang members to plan the execution of a new kidnapping scheme."
Equipped with this knowledge, Edafe stated, the crew set up an ambush at their meeting spot on November 26 and took out the other gang members, including Felix Okoro "m," a 40-year-old driver for the syndicate, and Raymond Etchie "m," a 46-year-old who negotiated and accepted the ransom.
In addition, Ominike Sunday, age 23, Jerusalem Sunday, age 35, Theophilus Akpofi, age 29, and Oghene Ogaga, age 45, who was the victim's guard, were all taken into custody by the Delta Police.
A spokesman for Delta Police said that all of the suspects have admitted to the crime and acknowledged their different roles, and the victim has equally recognized them all.
During questioning, the suspects revealed where the victim's car was located; the car was subsequently found in Oghara Town.
Edafe continued, saying that more work is being done to retrieve the syndicate's operational weaponry.