The Delta State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, Philip Onoghosa, in the Sapele area of the state.
Onoghosa, identified as the leader of a kidnapping syndicate terrorising the Sapele-Warri Road, was apprehended on October 25, 2024, by operatives of the CP’s Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) while attempting to purchase illicit drugs at Amukpe Roundabout.
Upon sighting the police, the suspect fled, abandoning a black Toyota Corolla with registration number SKL 330 AE.
A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a Beretta pistol loaded with two live rounds, found under the driver’s seat.
The police have launched a manhunt for the suspect.
In a separate incident on October 22, 2024, around 5:00 p.m., the Safer Highway Patrol Team, stationed in Sapele, flagged down a black Toyota RAV4 SUV with registration number KUJ-311-MB during a stop-and-search operation along Mosogar-Benin Road.
The driver attempted to evade the checkpoint, speeding off before reaching the officers. The police gave chase, and the suspect eventually abandoned the vehicle and fled into a nearby bush.
Upon searching the vehicle, police recovered its particulars, which led them to the owner, who confirmed that the car had been stolen from his compound in Kogi State. The police also found two metal master keys and 14 Toyota vehicle keys in the vehicle. Efforts to apprehend the suspect are ongoing.
Additionally, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Abbi Division, Florence Onum, acting on credible intelligence, foiled a kidnapping plot targeting a prominent member of the Abbi community.
On October 21, 2024, at about 7:00 p.m., police arrested one Ndubisi Okechukwu, a former two-term councillor in Emu-Uno, Kwale, who admitted to plotting the abduction.
Okechukwu, who had been suspended from his position, confessed that he intended to kidnap the woman, believing the local council would pay her ransom due to her close relationship with the local council chairman. The suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.
