By Our Correspondent
Luck have ran out against a six man kidnapping gang operating in a Toyota Sienna mini bus with registration number:, Lagos, AAA 619 BZ, on Monday, October 5, 2015, along Uwheru-Ughelli road, when they were accosted by the gallant men of the State Anti Robbery Squad, code name SARS, Ughelli branch while on patrol.
The kidnappers who have already confessed to their intent, told our correspondent that their mission was to kidnap a business mogul ( name with held), in Ughelli, but unknown to them they were been monitored by security operatives on patrol. They revealed that they were driving along the Ughelli-Patani road on their way to the mission when they met their waterloo.
Though one of them was said to have escaped, but five were arrested by men of the SARS operatives with three cut to sizes guns and one long barrel with a cache of ammunitions.
The five kidnappers arrested and who have confessed to the kidnap attempt are one Ovie Kupa, a 40 years old man, Omamuyovwi John, 35 years of age, Ijuvwebe Peter, 22 years of age, who is also a member of a local vigilante group from Agbarha-Otor, and was said to have just been released from the prison recently for an offence not disclosed to our correspondent. Others are, Emuobonuvie Kojo, 29 years and Clement Robin, 20 years old and the fleeing one whose name could not be gotten as officers and men of the SARS team were preparing to go out on the trial of the fleeing gang member.
According to an officer in the team who does not want his name mentioned as he was not authorized to do so, said, the SARS team was on a routine patrol when they noticed the Toyota Sienna driving slowly with only male occupants. He said the team immediately beam their focus on them by following them at a close pace but unknown to the kidnappers who were so engulf with mission. The officer said the moment they realized a police vehicle was behind them, they increased their speed in an attempt to escaped. But for the frantic efforts of the Police to know and unraveled their motives, they were overran by the team and discovered they were criminals.
He further revealed that the kidnappers carefully hid three guns inside the roof of the vehicle, while one was kept closed under the driver seat in order to avert or beat any check point. The officer further disclosed, that if one is not intelligent enough, it would be difficult to know if there are guns in the vehicle, but said, for their professionalism, they were able to discovered the guns.
Ask why they embark on such disastrous and risky journey, one of the kidnappers who was said to be working with a popular fish merchant in Ughelli but was later relieved of his job, said it was out of frustration and poverty that led him to initiate the idea to kidnap their target, but unfortunately for them, they could not carry out their devilish plans before they were caught by the police.
It could be recalled that on October 30, 2015, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Akali was at Ughelli where he commissioned the new SARS office and also held a town hall meeting with all vigilante groups in the local government. In that meeting, the state commissioner of police, warned all criminally minded elements to stay clear of the state as security in the state has intensified and the command will not tolerate any kind of crime as his officers and men are fully prepared to fight crime to a standstill in the state. Barely a week after the visit, this arrest could just be one of the many results to come as security is highly beefed up.
