Description

The police in Delta State, South-south Nigeria, said they have arrested a suspected member of a kidnap gang in the state.

Mr Edafe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the suspect, Diarhe Oghenemarho, was arrested on Thursday at about 11:02 a.m. along Oreorokpe-Sapele Road in the state while police operatives of Eagle-Net Squad were on patrol in the area.

The police spokesperson said the operatives intercepted the suspect’s commercial mini bus during a routine search on the road, and discovered a locally made single barrel rifle with five live cartridges concealed in a bag.

“The suspect was arrested and taken to the police station. During preliminary investigation, the suspect confessed that he belongs to the notorious Eiye Confraternity cult group and that his syndicate has been terrorising Warri and Ughelli Axis (of the state),” he said.

“He also confessed to be a member of an armed robbery/kidnapping gang, and his gang leader is one David Oghotomo Mathew a.k.a ‘cucumber,’” Mr Edafe stated.

The suspect, 25, resided at Okpara Inland Waterway, a community in Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state, the police said.

He said the suspect was in police custody while investigation is going on.

Mr Edafe said during a separate operation on Wednesday at about 11:40 p.m., police operatives from ‘B’ Division of the Ughelli Police Patrol Team recovered another arm and ammunition from three male crime suspects along Agbarha-Ughelli Road in the state.

The police spokesperson said during an anti-crime patrol by the operatives, the suspects, who were riding a motorcycle overtook them “in a suspicious manner” which prompted the operatives to give them “a hot chase.”