Eight members of a kidnapping syndicate operating in Oghara, Sapele, Warri, and environs have been arrested by men of the Delta State Police Command.
This was revealed in a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Edafe Bright, and posted on its official X handle on Thursday.
According to the statement, upon receipt of an information about a 43-year-old woman who was adbducted and paid N2m ransom for her release, the Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, directed officers in the decoy squad to utilise all technically generated intelligence to get the perpetrators.
The statement read, “The command received information relating to the kidnap of a 43-year-old woman (name withheld), who was kidnapped by a syndicate of armed men in a tricycle along Shell Road Sapele on November 19, 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 November 22, 2023 upon payment of N2m ransom.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, detailed operatives of CP – Decoy Squad, led by the commander, ASP Julius Robinson, directing that they utilise all technically generated intelligence to get the perpetrators of the act.
“Consequently, on November 25, 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 41-year-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 to strategise on another kidnapping operation.
“Armed with this information, the team laid an ambush at their meeting point on November 27, 2023 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.”
The statement added that all the suspects confessed to the crime admitting their various roles and have been identified by the victim.
