How Suspected Cultist Led Kidnappers To Kidnap Brother, Wife, Kill Brother’s Wife

LAGOS – The operatives of the Delta State Police Command said they have burst different crim­inal gangs that specialised in kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and drug peddling in the state.

The operatives said that some members of the criminal gangs have been arrested and currently helping in an investi­gation that would aid the arrest of other members still at large.

Bright Edafe, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta State Command, who disclosed this in a statement made avail­able to Daily Independent, said the command had been investi­gating the murder of Mrs. Regi­na Ogana who was kidnapped with her husband and other members of her family on Au­gust 2, 2023.

Edafe, a Deputy Superinten­dent of Police (DSP), said that while the investigation was still on, the command received an­other distress call from the hus­band of the deceased that one of his brothers, Eseoghene Ezekiel Obeje, a 28-yr-old man, made a suspicious call to him that he was kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of N500,000, adding that the money was transferred into the said Eseoghene’s account as his ransom.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, according to the PPRO, gave a marching order to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Oreropke Division, to embark on an intelligence in­vestigation and ensure that the perpetrators are arrested.

“Consequently, on August 11, 2023, at about 11.45 a.m., acting on technically generated in­formation, according to Edafe, operatives of the Divisional Anti-Crime Patrol team led by the DPO CSP Paul E. Oboware stormed Odovie community in Ughelli North Local Gov­ernment Area of the State and arrested the Eseoghene Ezekiel Obeje at the same spot where the sum of N1,300,000.00 was earlier paid as ransom for the release of his elder brother who is the husband of the deceased woman.

“Investigation revealed that the said Eseoghene is a mem­ber of Eiye Confraternity and feigned his own kidnap and was also suspected to have master­minded the kidnap of his broth­er and other family members, which led to the death of Re­gina Ogana. The suspect is in custody and the investigation is ongoing,” he stated.

The police image maker said that on August 10, 2023, at about 9.30 p.m., operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), while acting on a complaint received via petition, stormed Issele-Azagba Community in Aniocha North Local Govern­ment Area of Delta State, where one Igwe Uche, a 29-yr-old man; Victor Agogozia, 30; Afam Okoro Victor, 30, all residents of Issele-Azagba, were arrested.

He said that upon a search conducted on the suspects, one locally made cut-to-size pistol, one single barrel gun, and one live cartridge was recovered.

He said that the suspects and exhibits are currently in police custody, while effort is being in­tensified to arrest other mem­bers of their gang.

“In Another development, on August 13, 2023, at about 9.30 p.m., while acting on credible in­telligence received about some hoodlums who were on their way to attack unsuspecting per­son(s) along Umusadege quar­ters, the DPO Kwale Division, CSP Edwin Igoche, in a proac­tive manner, swiftly mobilised crack team of the division to Mid-western Road and in the process, two suspects, namely, Ugo Uzoka of Umusadege quar­ters aged 31 and Ebinum Snu, a 33-yr-old man were arrested.”

He said that one cut-to-size gun and six cartridges were recovered from them, adding that the suspects are in custo­dy while the investigation was ongoing.