Police in Asaba, Delta State yesterday arrested a female member of a kidnap syndicate and two others who have been responsible for the kidnap of high profile politicians and businessmen in the state in the last few years.
Meanwhile, the police are continuing with the manhunt for the fleeing gang members of Nwaeze Nwosa (aka Bolaji) who were linked to the kidnap of Professor Kamene Okonjo late last year 2012.
Police spokesman in the state, ASP Famous Ajieh, confirmed that they were arrested around Oduke area of Asaba following a tip-off adding that one pump action gun with number T5870122833 was recovered from them.
LEADERSHIP gathered that nemesis caught up with the suspects when the gang members abducted a middle-aged woman (name withheld) along DLA road during the week.
It was learnt that the gang abducted the woman at the entrance of her residence while she was inside her Toyota Sienna Car with registration number AX 236 XX and took her to unknown destination.
Eyewitness said the kidnappers were armed and attacked the victim before they took her away.
Based on information, the Police detectives trailed the kidnappers to their hideout where they closed in on them and arrested them unhurt.
The female gang member who doubles as their informant led the detectives to their leader’s hideout where he was said to have been shot dead on the spot.
LEADERSHIP investigations revealed that the police had in the last two weeks declared war on armed robbers including kidnappers, leaving no fewer than 16 suspects killed.
Meanwhile, former Vice Chancellor of the Delta State University, Abraka, Professor Abednego Ekoku was yesterday abducted by unidentified gunmen in Uzere, Isoko South Local Government Area of the state at about 11:00am.
Police spokesman in the state, ASP Famous Ajieh, confirmed that the former Vice Chancellor was abducted shortly after leaving a church in Uzere town. As at the time of filing this report, the police said efforts were being made to rescue him while his abductors were yet to establish contact with his relations.
In another development, the police in Delta State are in manhunt for the fleeing gang members of Nwaeze Nwosa, (aka Bolaji) who were linked to the kidnap of Professor Kamene Okonjo late last year 2012. This was just as the police also arrested two suspected secret cult members in Asaba.
According to a police source, the suspects fled the state when they discovered that their leader, Bolaji, had been arrested and later died as a result of complications from gun shots wounds sustained during a cross fire with police.
Speaking at separate fora, State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, said “all persons linked to the kidnap must be brought to book, we will not leave any stone unturned, we must get them one by one”.
The police boss also assured that “we have spread our dragnet within and outside the state; hence recently we arrested two of them at Ugar Junction, Anambra State, where they escaped to.”
Aduba said that from the confessional statement of their leader Bolaji, and other suspects, police had information on the run-away hoodlums and added that the command in collaboration with sister commands in the country were on their trail and very soon they would be arrested to face the wrath of the law.
It would be recalled that five members of the gang, including Bolaji; Tipper Boy, Tse Tse Fly, Hardboy and William Omenma were arrested, but some died as a result of gunshots.
Meanwhile, one of the suspects, William Omenma, has been arraigned at a Chief Magistrates Court in Asaba for the kidnap of Professor Kamene Okonjo.
He was arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping.
The plea of the accused person was not taken , but the magistrate, Sylvester Ehikwe, remanded the accused at Ogwashi-Uku and adjourned the case to January 31, 2013.
According to police boss, the cult suspects were arrested in their operational base on a tip off by men of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police command.
He said that upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to be members of the Eiye Confraternity.