National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
The Bayelsa state Command of the Nigerian Police force on Monday paraded members of a kidnap syndicate, armed robbery suspects and others belonging to various cult groups alleged to have murdered members of rival cult groups in Yenagoa and its environs.
Speaking during a press briefing held as part of the event for the parading of the suspects, the state Commissioner of Police, Ben Nebolisa Okolo hinted that the state police was in recent times confronted with reported cases of kidnaping, armed robbery and cultism.
He stated that as a result the command re-jigged the security strategy with a special focus on tackling kidnapping and armed robbery, saying that the strategy paid off with the recent arrest of members of a notorious kidnapping gang by operatives of the Command’s ‘Operation Restore Peace’.
The Bayelsa Police Chief stressed that the paraded Kidnap Syndicate has been responsible for over 10(ten) high profile abduction in the state over a period of seven years.
National Wire monitored the parading of the suspects and reports that part of the Police Commissioner’s statement made available to Newsmen through the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Asinim Butswats reads:
“On 8th December, 2020 one Akeeb Oladele Olushola ‘m’ 48 years a Manager of a new generation bank was kidnap at his residence at Old Commissioners Quarters Opolo.He was released on the 12th December after paying a ransom of N80 million.
“Similarly, Danjuma Omeje 41 years, a Manager of a new generation Bank in Yenagoa was kidnap at his residence at Okaka, Yenagoa, on 30th June 2022 and was released on 14th July 2022 after paying a ransom of N60 million. N30 million cash and some amount of US Dollars equivalent of N30 Million Naira, be respectively.
The Police boss also noted that operatives of the Command’s ‘Operation Restore Peace’ through painstaking investigation also have arrested other suspects, including one Mr Emmanuel Charles Angase ‘m’ 37 years, a native of Azuzuama Community of the Southern Ijaw Council area of the state whom he said was the leader of the kidnapping gang.
CP Okolo stated that the paraded Emmanuel Charles Angese operates a kidnapping camp at Sunikiri creek, near Oluasiri Community in the Nembe council area of the state with his second in command, one Gbalipre Gamage who was at large as at the time of the parade, noting however that the Police operatives recovered a brand new Toyota Avalon he bought for his wife with the proceeds of ransom he collected from his abduction victims.
The CP said: “The gang leader Emmanuel Charles Angase has confessed that on 30th June 2022 at about 0600 hours, himself, John Ewa and others at large accosted Danjuma Omeje at the entrance of his house at Okaka, kidnapped him and fled in a blue Toyota Corolla Car with registration number KJA 225 AY. They took the victim to his camp at Sunikiri Oluasiri, and released him on 14th July 2022, after collecting N60 million ransom.
“The suspect also confessed to the kidnap of Akeeb Oladele Olusola, a banker and Nancy Keme Dickson, who was kidnapped on 26th December 2015. He also confessed to the kidnap of Chinonso Eze and other Igbo Business men”.
“John Ikechukwu Ewa ‘m’ 30 years (aka) John Lyon, a native of Eruan Community in Boki LGA, Cross River State, known for flamboyant lifestyle on Social Media, a former cleaner with a new generation bank, confessed to have collected USD 10,000(ten thousand United States Dollars) from the ransom collected in the kidnap of Danjuma Omeje.
” Innocent Kingsley ‘m’ 31 years, a native of Egbu Community of Etche LGA of Rivers State, the owner of a blue Toyota Corolla Car with registration number KJA 225 AY and one Timi Werikumo ‘m’ 21 years, a native of Azuzuama Community Southern Ijaw council area of Bayelsa State were also arrested”.
The state Police Chief who also gave details of arrested cultists and murder suspects stated that on the third of June, 2022 at about 2000hrs, Operatives of the Command’s ‘Operation Restore Peace’ responded to a distress call that there was a cult clash between Greenlanders and Bobos Cult groups at Obele Street in the Yenagoa metropolis, saying that upon their arrival at the scene, the Police team met some suspects attacking one Kenus Ibomo.
He hinted that on sighting the Police team, the suspects ran away, but were however trailed to their hideout at Arietalin street where some suspects were arrested.
He gave names of those arrested as one Richard Derigha ‘m’ 36 years, Charles Francis ‘m’ 25 years, Collins Ugochukwu ‘m’ 28 years, Timipa Perewari ‘m’ 22 years and Clement Demepo ‘m’ 23 years, stating that they have all confessed to the killing of the victim and membership of Bobos cult group.
This was just as the Police Commissioner noted that a locally made pistol, black beret and other cult related insignias were recovered from the suspects.
While restating the Command’s resolve under his watch to continue policing the state professionally to get rid-off crime and criminality, the Police Chief also stated that on 17th April, 2022, at about 1945 hours, one Gift Lucky Sotonye ‘m’ 24years old, and one other person, now at large, robbed one Ogechi Rosemary ‘f’ and Gift Ogunleye ‘f’ at Azikoro Village.
He hinted that discreet investigation led to the arrest of the suspect, saying that itel phones, a locally made double barrel gun and locally made single barrel gun as well as two Live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.
This was even as the Police had also said on the 19th of July, at about 0800hrs Policemen arrested one Godgift Emmanuel ‘m’ 22 years at Otuasega Community of the Ogbia council area of the state for unlawful possession of a locally made pistol, saying that the suspect confessed to membership of the Bobos cult group. While the command on 18th September 2022 at about 1545 hours through the collaboration of the Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) attached to Labrador Security outfit arrested three suspected Pipeline vandals.
They are, Jonah Geoffrey ‘m’ 37 years, a native of Okoroma, Clement Suoyo ‘m’ 30 years, a native of Fantuo and Destiny Clement, a native of Fantuo all from the Nembe council area of the state, saying the suspects upon their arrest by the NSCDC operatives were handed over to the Police for further investigation.
The Police said items recovered from the suspects include three new walkie-talkie for easy communication, two rolls of big hose, and one well head, respectively, saying that investigation is still ongoing.
The Police Commissioner who promised to charge all the suspects to court upon conclusion of investigations noted that the State Police Command has firmly resolved to make the State uncomfortable for criminals, reaffirming that Officers and Men of the command were more than ever determined to get the state rid off criminal elements and to ensure that communities were safer for businesses and economic activities to thrive.
