From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The police in Delta State have confirmed the arrest of a leader of a suspected kidnapping gang after operatives foiled a planned attempt to abduct a prominent chief in Ogume town, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of the state.
Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the development on Saturday in a statement.
Edafe said the breakthrough followed discreet intelligence by men of the command’s Operation Eagle Net Special Squad that the syndicate had perfected plans to kidnap the chief.
“The resilience and unrelenting efforts emplaced by the operatives aborted the purported kidnapping plan and led to the arrest of a suspect and leader of the gang, one Chukwuemeka Ochu ‘m’ age 27yrs of Nuke Mba Street, Obiaruko in Ukwuani Local Government Area.
“Investigation is ongoing while efforts are on to arrest the other fleeing members of the gang,” he stated.
Edafe added that men of Eagle Net Patrol “while on stop and search duty along Sapele-Warri Expressway, intercepted an Audi Saloon car with registration number QA 480 UGH, carrying two suspicious-looking occupants.
“The team subjected them to a search during which one locally-made pistol and two live cartridges were recovered from them.
“The two suspects, Joshua Stephen ‘m’ age 20yrs and Wisdom Obanor ‘m’ age 21yrs were arrested and the investigation is ongoing.”
He further disclosed that operatives of the command also recovered a snatched Lexus 350 SUV with registration number LG 31 GRA during a stop and search duty along Owawha-Okwagbe road in Ughelli South Local Government Area.
According to him, occupants of the said SUV made a U-turn on sighting operatives on the road but were given a hot chase.
“At Oghior-Imode road, the hoodlums abandoned the vehicle and escaped into the bush. When the vehicle was searched, one pump action gun, two locally-made guns and six rounds of live cartridges were recovered.
“Investigation later revealed that the SUV was earlier snatched from the owner along Ughelli-Warri Road. Manhunt for the fleeing suspect is ongoing.”