ASP and 3 Other Policemen Arrested Over Kidnap Kingpin’s Escape

 

Police in Delta State have arrested and detained four police officers, including  an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sergeant and Corporal, for allegedly aiding the escape of a kidnap kingpin from police cell in Asaba during the weekend.

Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, confirmed the detention of the police officers when contacted, yesterday.

This came as the Joint Task Force, JTF, in Sapele, arrested four suspected kidnappers and razed the shrine of a native doctor, who prepared charm for the gang.

Investigations showed that soon after he escaped, the kidnap kingpin from the South-East region called the complainant in the case to inform him that he had paid his way out of police cell and he should get ready for him.

A source said: 

“The complainant and his family fled their location to an unknown place, same night the escapee kidnap suspect called him. You can imagine what some greedy police officers have caused the man and his family.”

Commissioner Aduba in a terse SMS said: 

“Detention and investigation ordered, appropriate sanction will be applied.”

He later told Vanguard on phone: “The stand of the Inspector General of Police is very clear: any police officer involved in any criminal matter is on his own. The matter is being investigated. You know me, I do not condone nonsense and we will remain focused in our fight against criminals in the state.”

A police officer, who spoke to Vanguard said: “What happened is a shame. Police officers collected money from the kidnapper, brought by members of his gang and they brought him out. A person who was in handcuffs, they unchained him and one of them claimed he was going to cut his hair or do something upstairs.

“I even heard that they gave him police uniform to wear and he walked out of the police station in Asaba and they are there telling cock and bull stories that they do not know he was a kidnapper. This is not the first time this kind of thing is happening, but I know the Commissioner will not spare anybody. That is their own cup of tea".

In related news,

JTF Arrests 4 Suspected Kidnappers

The four suspected kidnappers were nabbed by the JTF in conjunction with the Delta Waterways Security Committee, DWSC, Warri, after the rescue of Mr. Enye Edema, father of the Head of Department, Security, Delta State Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Mr S. Edema, a lawyer, who was abducted about five days ago.

Our source said: “One of them, 'Great', was arrested between Adeje and Oviri Court, Sunday morning, when he came to pick up N500,000 ransom placed on a culvert, not knowing that security agents had laid siege to the place.

“He came out of hiding to pick the ransom and was promptly arrested. He confessed that Precious  drove the vehicle the day Pa Edema was kidnapped which led to the driver’s arrest.

“The leader of the gang, Marcus, was also arrested in Sapele with the assistance of a vigilance group.

“However, two other members of the gang, Lawrence and Peace are still at large, while the shrine of the native doctor, who they took Pa Edema to was razed.

“Three motorcycles were reportedly used by the kidnappers in the operation,” he added.

Source:VanguardNews