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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Men of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested a notorious kidnap kingpin, Sunday Amadi, popularly called ‘Occasion’.
They also rescued four after spending 48 gruelling hours in the den of the notorious kidnap kingpin in the state.
Daily Sun gathered that the policemen on patrol on the day of the incident did not stop searching for the victims and were pleased to discover the camp of the kidnappers on the third day of searching.
Sources said the police operatives proceeded to conduct prompt but thorough surveillance to eliminate the incidence of collateral damage before engaging the criminals.
In the confrontation that ensued, two of the kidnappers were killed, including their leader who had a N2 million bounty placed on him by the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area.
One of the victims had to be taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) after sustaining injuries from the kidnappers.
A reliable source from the command said one of the victims, a commercial driver, informed that he was on one of his routine trips back to Port Harcourt, when he noticed an obstruction on the road caused by a huge tree trunk blocking the road.
The source said: “He was driving a Sienna, and an Audi car was in front of him. Whilst he was contemplating reversing, some men emerged from the bush and fired bullets at the tyres of his vehicle and that of the Audi.”
The driver said the men, numbering six, asked them to lie on the ground, but grabbed them and took them through strange bush paths as they noticed a police van approaching. The driver told the police that the kidnappers took them deep into the forest, when they noticed they (police) were shooting.
He disclosed that the kidnappers tortured them and extracted funds from them via their ATM cards and from their families. The gunmen removed the sum of N800,000 from one of the victims’ accounts and N 1.9 million from another.
The kidnap victims also told the police, who rescued them, that throughout their ordeal, their abductors only gave them tiny pieces of bread and sachet water. The victims also informed the policemen that they were blindfolded all through their journey.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, has commended the men of the command for their professionalism and persistence in bringing criminals to their knees. He stated that the Rivers State Police Command under his watch would stop at nothing to rid the state of criminals. He assured the rescued victims of proper post-rescue care from the Rivers State Police Command.
After visiting the wounded victim at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Disu expressed the readiness of the men of the state police command to flush out every kidnap syndicate or gang in the state.
He further reiterated his assurance to Rivers people to enjoy the yuletide freely as the police command has escalated patrols in the state and will not back down on the resolve to make Rivers State crime-free. He encouraged everyone intending to visit the state for Christmas to do so without fear.
