Friday, March 29, 2024

Police arrest kidnapping syndicate led by Avengers member

Operatives of the police Intelligence Response Team have arrested members of a kidnapping syndicate led by a former Niger Delta Avengers leader, Anthony Pepple aka ‘Urban Gorrilla’, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The syndicate was said to have been terrorising Port Harcort over a long time.
A police source told our correspondent that the members of the kidnapping syndicate were arrested after the IRT launched a hunt for them following an order by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
“After several reported cases of kidnapping in Port Harcourt, IGP Ibrahim  Idris instructed the Intelligence Response Team to bring an end to the menace of this syndicate. On 01/04/17, at about 1500hrs, after diligent and painstaking Intelligence gathering and analysis as well as technical support from TIU, operatives of IGP- Intelligence Response Team deployed to Port-Harcourt arrested one Saheed Adekunle aka ‘Black Devil’, 27 of Ede south Local Government Area of Osun State,” the source said. 
It was gathered that Black Devil, who resides in Port-Harcourt, confessed that he was introduced to Kidnapping by one Tony in 2016.
He also gave valuable information that led to the arrest of the overall gang leader of the group.
“Black Devil’s confession helped in the arrest of the leader of the gang, Anthony Pepple aka ‘Urban Gorrilla’ 42yrs ‘M’ of Bonny LGA of Rivers State, a very educated former staff of SAIPEM, a multinational oil servicing company. He worked with the company both in Nigeria and Abu-Dhabi, UAE.
“Upon his arrest, Anthony Pepple confessed to being a key member of the Niger Delta Avengers, who blew up pipelines, masterminded the cold blooded murder of one Soboma George, a militant commander in 2009, and also confessed to being the Kingpin of a kidnap syndicate that was known for targeting Medical doctors and pharmacists amongst other unsuspecting innocent members of the public in Port-Harcourt since 2015 and collecting his ransoms in tens of millions of Naira,” the source added. 
It was also learnt that following ‘Urban Gorilla’s confession,  the IRT in a mop up operation that lasted about 72hours, arrested seven more members of the notorious syndicate, who all confessed to participating in various kidnapping cases.
 “Other confirmed members arrested include Hillary Wogu ‘m’ 41yrs of Etche L.G.A of Rivers State, who confessed to taking part in some of the operations; Ogbungbada Chima ‘m’ 36yrs of Rumualogu village in Obio-Akpor L.G.A of Rivers State, has maintained a steady communication with a member of the syndicate in Port-Harcourt maximum prison organising operations; Chief Aghara Emmanuel Lobito ‘m’ 31yrs, Lucky Gospel Marako ‘m’ 36yrs of Tombia community Degema L.G.A of Rivers State, Igbiki Sokari ‘m’ 38yrs of Tombia community, Degema L.G.A of Rivers State, Dokubo Victor Ipalibo ‘m’ 28yrs of Kula community in Akuku Toru L.G.A of Rivers State, Okwudili Pascal ‘m’ 41yrs of  Ezira in Orumba South LGA of Anambra State, Candy Ndubisi Nwankwo ‘m’ 30yrs of Obokwe Community in Ngor Kpala LGA Imo state,” he further said.
Meanwhile, some of the notorious syndicate’s past operations, according to police sources, included  the Kidnapping of Dr. Silas Nwachukwu, a surgeon and a director of Capino Pharmacy at Rumuomasi in August 2015; Mrs. Joy Enuvie Akpokobje, 63, director Tejod Pharmacy in Choba, who was Kidnapped November 2016 along NTA Uniport road. 
Others are Onomake Monday, 52, Director of Larmack Pharmacy, Choba kidnapped in 2015, Dr. Patience Iduh, 48, a Lab Scientist with N.N.P.C Port-Harcourt in Elelewon; and Professor Rosemund Dienye Green Osahogulu, former vice chancellor of Ignatuis Ajuru University of Education Port-Harcourt, Iwofe. She was kidnapped while driving along Iwofe road in June 2015.
An AK47 rifle with bridge No. 4398 and three vehicles, two SUV’s and a  volkswagen golf used for their kidnapping operations were recovered from the suspects. The police also said that more efforts were still being made to recover more arms and ammunition from them.

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