The Police Command in Bayelsa has said that it arrested six suspected members of a notorious kidnapping gang in the state, including, a female, one Ogeneima Omoni, 24.
The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the Command, Mr Asinim Butswat, disclosed this in a statement in Yenagoa on Monday adding that their arrest was effected by the efforts of a combined team.
Butswat said the team comprised operatives from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and police command in the state.
He said that the 24-year-old female member of the gang from Ogbokuma, Abua/Odual LGA, Rivers, cooked for the suspected kidnappers in their den.
According to him, the ringleader of the gang, one LongJohn Franklin, 24, aka ‘General Soft’, hails from Abalamabie community in Bonny Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers.
“He is an ex-convict and the head of the kidnappers’ camp in the creeks and also, he engages in sea piracy and illegal oil refining.
“Other suspects to include Goodluck Ikiyou, 30, from Azuzuama community, Southern Ijaw LGA, Bayelsa; Chilowe Augustine, 19, from Edeoha community, Ahoada East LGA, Rivers and the sixth suspect, Chimaobi Nmeribe, 47, who hails from Umuahia South LGA of Abia.
He further stated that the suspects’ activities cut across Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta, adding that they had made useful statements.
He disclosed that others identified as Innocent Awelo Luke, Anthony Awelo Luke, Makiava and Ndubisi (a dismissed officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps) were on the run.
The PPRO explained that exhibits recovered from the suspects included two Toyota vehicles and pictorial and Video evidence of Franklin and Augustine displaying ransom collected from a Kidnapped victim, NAN reports.
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