Pastor nabbed for allegedly operating kidnapping ring, gunrunning

THE police in Delta State has arrested a clergyman, Rev. Ignatius Ogboi, aged 51, who is suspected to have a hand in several kidnap cases. Ogboi, who was paraded by the police at the state police headquarters in Asaba along with other suspected criminals, was reportedly found with 3,871 live cartridges and a loaded double-barrel gun.

The Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Mustafa, accused the suspected kidnapper, a pastor with the Salvation Army Church, Mbiri, Ika North East Local Council of the state, of spon- soring kidnappers and armed robbers operating within Agbor, Umunede and its environs.

According to Mustafa, the police also recovered some prohibited drugs and over N4 million, believed to be ransom collected from kidnapped and robbery victims. He told journalists: “Following information received through discreet intelligence gathering, operatives of SAKCCS Asaba stormed his residence with a duly signed search warrant, arrested him and recovered the exhibits from him.”

Also, 18-year-old secondary school dropout, Efemena Chinedu has been arrested for a twin offense of murder and rape. Chinedu, who was also paraded, was accused of raping his six-year-old half sister and killing his eight-year-old half brother at the town of Ofagbe, Isoko North Local Council of the state.

The teenager told journalists that he committed the heinous crimes as a result of deep hatred for his polygamous father. He explained that his father forced him out of school to learn a trade, an act, which did not go down well with him.

Describing how he killed his half brother, Chinedu said he sat on the victim’s face using his butt to cover his nostrils while the target was fast asleep. “I sat on him while he was sleeping, but I did not know that my sister saw me. She reported me to my father who took me to the police station.

“My father hates me, he has five wives. He loves his other children more than me. That was why he asked to stop school and go and learn electrician,” he said in smattering English.