By Clinton Awhawha (Warri)
The Delta State Police Command have neutralized one suspected kidnapper and arrested three others with severe injuries as a result of gun shot just as they have recovered one AK 47 rifle, eighteen rounds of 7.6MM ammunition, one double- barrel- locally -made gun and one suspected stolen GLK BENZ.
In a press statement signed by the Delta State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Asaba, the state capital, DSP Bright Edafe said, based on reports of kidnapping and armed robbery operations in Ughelli, Warri and its environs, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Johnson Adenola instructed all Divisional Police Officers in the Command to gather intelligence and ensure that this ugly trend is nipped in the bud.
The statement added that, against this background and in compliance with this directives, on 3rd of April, 2023, at about 1300 hours, and acting on this information received through intelligence gathering, an armed robbery gang that snatched one AK-47 rifle from a Police Officer and allegedly kidnapped and murdered one Godspower Emmanuel ‘m’ after collecting four hundred thousand naira (N400,000) ransom was sighted in a hotel in Agbarho.
The statement added that based on this, the DPO Ovwian Aladja Division, CSP Aliyu Shaba mobilized and led detectives to the area in search of them. The statement added while the search was on, the suspects sighted the Police and opened fire and the Police equally responded. The statement said, in the process, one Felix A.K.A “OBJ” was shot and confirmed dead at the hospital while three other suspects namely, Stephen Precious ‘m’ 19yrs old, Godstime Sunday ‘m’ 28yrs old, and Apene Prince ‘m’ 28yrs old, were arrested with various degrees of bullet injuries. The statement added that, items recovered from them were: one AK 47 rifle with breech no. 19617, eighteen (18) rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one English -double- barrel gun, eleven (11) Android phones, two botton phones, one long knife, one suspected stolen white coloured GLK Mercedes Benz with reg. no YAB 733 BK, two bottles of codeine and two wraps of weed suspected to be Indian hemp. The statement said, investigation is ongoing.
Part of the statement reads: “On 30/04/2023 at about 1300hrs, acting on information received via intelligence gathered on an armed robbery gang that snatched one AK47 rifle from a police officer and also allegedly kidnapped and murdered one Godspower Emmanuel ‘m’ after collecting four hundred thousand naira (#400,000) ransom were sited at an hotel in Agbarho, the DPO Ovwian Aladja division, CSP Aliyu Shaba mobilized and led detectives to the area …While the search was ongoing, the suspects sighted the policemen from hiding and opened fire, which the police equally responded. During the gun duel, one Felix A.K.A “OBJ” was shot and later confirmed dead at the hospital, while three other suspects… Stephen Precious ‘m’ 19yrs old, Godstime Sunday ‘m’ 28yrs old, and Apene Prince ‘m’ 28yrs old, were arrested with various degrees of bullet injuries. One AK 47 rifle with breech no. 19617, eighteen (18) rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one English double barrel gun, eleven (11) Android phones, two botton phones, one long knife, one suspected stolen white coloured GLK Mercedes Benz with reg. no YAB 733 BK, two bottles of codeine, two wraps of weed suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered…”