By Dele Ogunyemi
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have rescued unhurt a 37-year-old kidnap victim (name withheld) of Egbo-Urhie community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
PUNCH Metro gathered that this followed a distress call on the night of February 21, 2022, from an unidentified person from Otu-Jeremi community in Ughelli South LGA, that some hoodlums had stormed the community and kidnapped a young man along with his Toyota Corolla car.
Consequently, the Divisional Police Officer, Otu-Jeremi Division swiftly detailed patrol teams who went on their trail. However, before their arrival, some policemen attached to Counter Terrorism Unit, Base 5, Warri, who were escorting their principal, coincidentally ran into the hoodlums and trailed them to Ekrokpe community.
Our correspondent gathered that the hoodlums upon sighting the police, shot at them and the security team retaliated while the vehicle of the suspected kidnappers was successfully demobilised by the team. Also, one of the suspects, Onwuka Kelly, aged 23 years was arrested and the victim (name withheld) age 37yrs of Egbo-Urhie Community of Ughelli South LGA was rescued unhurt.
Exhibits recovered by the police from the suspect included one cut-to-size double barrel gun, one cut-to-size single barrel gun and one live cartridge.
In another development, on February 22, at about 10.30 hours, the police received information from a tricycle (Keke) rider that two young men flagged him down at PTI junction, Effurun and hired him to convey them to Agbarho.
The tricycle rider further disclosed that on getting to Agbarho bridge along Ughelli-Portharcourt Expressway, one of the passengers hit him on the head, forced him out of the tricycle and robbed him of his tricycle. The DPO Agbarho Division detailed operatives to investigate the matter with a view to arresting the suspects and recovering the tricycle.
Consequently, on the following day at about 1200hrs, upon an intelligence-led investigation, the hoodlums were trailed to their hideout in Eghwarha road Agbarho, where two suspects namely Goodluck Ahirima (24) and Charles Oyibocha (24), were arrested and the snatched tricycle recovered.
The PPRO similarly confirmed the incident noting that investigation was ongoing.
Originally published at Punch