Abducted police chief regains freedom after paying N3m ransom
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Delta State command, who was allegedly kidnapped along Benin-Asaba Expressway on Friday between Onicha-Ugbo and Issele-Uku axis, has regained his freedom. The DPO was said to be on his way to Asaba for an official assignment when the hoodlums cornered him.
It was gathered from a source at the state police command headquarters in Asaba that the victim was freed by his abductors after paying a ransom of N3 million. The gunmen were said to have shot indiscriminately before whisking the victim away to an unknown destination.
The victim, whose name was simply given as Mr. Okoro, is in charge of Galilee Police Station, Ute-Ogbeje community in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state. He reportedly regained his freedom on Sunday after the negotiated ransom was dropped at a designated location for the abductors to pick.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke, however, denied the incident and the subsequent payment of ransom. He said it was the DPO’s friend who was kidnapped. He added that he had been in touch with the DPO and that the police do not support the payment of ransom for kidnap victims.
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Meanwhile, gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted Mr. Ifeanyi Onyenankeya, a popular blogger in Imo State. Onyenankeya is owner of two popular news blogs, Okigwe Arena and Imo Arena. He was reportedly abducted on Monday night at his father’s compound, No. 3, Duru Close, Ekeagbara, Okigwe, a family source said.
According to the source, the three gunmen who abducted him operated in a Sienna SUV. They allegedly beat him before whisking him away. He was said to have resisted them initially.His relation had said on the social media, “Ifeanyi Onyenankeya from Arondizuogu in Okigwe Local Government, a worker of National Examinations Council. He is 6.2 ft tall, dark in complexion, slim and a Christian. He is the admin of Okigwe arena/Imo arena on Facebook.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed to newsmen that some gunmen abducted the blogger. He, however, said the command had yet to confirm if it was a case of kidnap. The Police spokesperson said that investigation had commenced, with a view to unraveling the circumstances behind the incident. Ikeokwu said, “Yes, the news is confirmed, but we cannot categorically say it is a case of kidnap or not. As we speak, they have not called for any ransom.”
Source: Guardian
