Police Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber-Crime Squad (SAKCCS) in Delta State has arrested a self-acclaimed female pastor, Franca Okuzor, and two others in connection with the kidnapping of a lady (name withheld) at the entrance of her house in Obinoba community, Nkwani Local Council of the state.
Police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, who confirmed the arrest, said a child of the victim reported at Obiaruku Police station that on their way back from the shop at about 2030hours, three masked men, armed with guns, accosted them at the entrance of their house and kidnapped the mother.
He said the police immediately launched a manhunt for the hoodlums and rescued the victim a few days after they had collected ransom of N2 million and other valuables worth about N3.5 million.
According to him, the police team was fully armed with relevant information, and thus embarked on an intelligence-led investigation, which paid off on August 4, as the operatives arrested one Kabi Kester, ‘m’, 43.
He said: “When the suspect was interrogated, he confessed to being a member of the gang that kidnapped the woman and his confession led to the arrest of two other suspects: Henry Owojero, ‘m’, 42, and Franca Okuzor, ‘f’, a self-acclaimed pastor, and a wife to the leader of the gang named Celestine Okuzor Nova, now at large in whose house the victim was held captive for six days.
“They all confessed to their involvement in the abduction and named three others: Uche (surname unknown), Chinedu Etudo, and Nweke (surname unknown) as members of the gang. An intensive manhunt for the other gang members is ongoing.”
Edafe also said police operatives attached to Dragon Patrol while on visibility and confidence-building patrol along Benin/Asaba Expressway at Issele-Uku, intercepted a commercial Sienna vehicle and subjected the passengers and their bags to a search.
According to him, the officers recovered about 250 rounds of live cartridges concealed in a bag from one Omoruyi Osemudiamen, ‘m’, 46, when their vehicle was searched, and was immediately arrested and taken into custody.
He said that a combined team of Buffalo and Eagle-Net Special Squad of the Command, on August 3, stormed Summit Road in Asaba and arrested one James Moro, ‘m’, 23, and a locally fabricated pump action gun was recovered from him.
Edafe revealed that when investigation was later carried out, the police discovered that the suspect used the gun to rob innocent persons at night along that axis.
