December 05, (THEWILL) –Â Operatives of the Delta Police Command have arrested a suspected kidnapper and recovered an AK-47 rifle and several ammunitions.
A statement issued on Sunday by zpokesperson of the Command, DSP Bright Edafe, said the operatives, in collaboration with local vigilantes, arrested the suspect on Dec. 2.
He said the 26-year-old suspect and members of his gang, still at large, laid siege to Irri Roundabout in Oleh, near Warri, to abduct their victim who had recently returned from Europe.
Edafe said a disagreement ensued between the gang members in the attempt to abduct the victim and in the process, residents of the area became suspicious and alerted the vigilantes.
“On Dec. 2 at about 11.43 p.m., the police received a distress call from vigilantes deployed around Irri roundabout in Oleh that some hoodlums were sighted in a white Toyota Hilux van without registration number.
“In an attempt to kidnap one man who recently returned from Europe, disagreement ensued between them which made residents in the area to become suspicious and alerted the vigilante.
“A carefully planned operation led to the arrest of the 26-year-old suspect while other members of the gang escaped in the Hilux van.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to being part of the gang that kidnapped a 63-year-old woman on Nov. 30 and later abandoned her when they noticed that the police was closing in on them,” he said.
Edafe added that the suspect led police operatives to his house where one AK-47 rifle, 19 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one magazine, one pump-action gun and 26 live cartridges were recovered.
He said the items were concealed in a sack and buried in his compound, adding that a manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang is ongoing.
