Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested six suspected kidnappers operating around Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State under the guise of being vigilantes or hunters.
The suspects, Aaron Okorigwe, aged 27years and five others were apprehended on Thursday, December 15, 2022, by “Police operatives attached to the Ekpan Police station deployed on patrol along Jakpa Road,” according to a statement by the spokesperson of the Command, DSP Bright Edafe.
Edafe said the Police operatives, “intercepted a Toyota Sienna space bus, ash in colour without registration number conveying six male occupants. The Policemen on suspicion subjected them to a search during which three (03) pump action guns, four (04) locally made guns, one (01) long axe, seven (07) expended cartridges, nine (09) live cartridges, native charms, three (03) cutlasses, two (02) number plates were recovered.
“The suspects, Aaron Okorigwe ‘m’ aged 27yrs and five others could not give reasonable account of themselves, were taken into custody. Investigation later revealed that they were hoodlums who operates under the guise of being members of hunters group from Ovwian Aladja, but sneaks into Ekpan Community in a Sienna vehicle, rob and kidnap unsuspecting, after robbing them, they run to hibernate in Ovwian Aladja.
“Following these findings, on 16/12/2022, the DPO invited three victims (names withheld), all of whom were at various times victims of armed robberies, and kidnappings in the area, and placed the suspects on identification parade, the victims identified the suspects as the syndicate that robbed and kidnapped them. Investigation is ongoing.”
