Busted! Police Parades 35 Suspects, Arrest Pastor With Gun, 3871 Live Cartridges In Delta

A clergyman was among armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate group that were paraded on Thursday by Delta State Police Command in Asaba, the state capital.

State Police Commissioner, Muhammad Alhaji Mustafa, who disclosed this said that the pastor, one Rev. Ignatius Ogboi, (51 yrs) of Ignatius Close Umunede in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta state, was arrested for gun running and peddling of prohibited drugs.

He was arrested by the State Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad (SAKCCS) following discreet Intelligence gathering, he said.

The suspect, according to the police is a business man and Pastor of Salvation Army Church Mbiri, Ika North East LG, Delta State who specializes in sponsoring kidnapping/armed robbery operations within Agbor, Umunede and its environs.

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According to Mustafa, operatives of SAKCCS Asaba led by the O/C, stormed his residence with a duly signed search warrant and arrested him.

From the search, they recovered a loaded English Made double barrel gun, three thousand eight hundred and seventy one live cartridges, some prohibited drugs and undisclosed amount of money believed to be ransom collected from victims, the police boss added.

Responding to journalist during the parade, Rev. Ogboi denied membership of any criminal group and absolved himself as a supplier of arms and ammunition.

He claimed that the cache of ammunition recovered from him, was purchased for the Vigilante Unit in Umunede and controlled drugs was for his wife, who he said is facing medical challenge.

However, when pressed further for details, he admitted the crime of being in possession of ammunition which is beyond his legal rights and said that the cash of over Four Million Naira found in his residence, were proceeds from his pharmacy business.

Meanwhile, the police says its recovered firearms, ammunition and dynamite from four suspected armed robbers cum kidnappers in Jesse, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.

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The police boss however said that the four suspects were killed in an attempt to escaped.

“On 22/2/2018, at about 1500hrs, the Divisional Police Officer Jesse Division received information that suspected hoodlums using an

He said that the suspect on 22nd February used an Audi 80 car with Reg. No. KPE 456 AA to entered into Jesse town.

On getting the information, patrol teams went on trail of the hoodlums, sighted their vehicle parked at Mission Road Jesse, while the three occupants were met drinking in a Kiosk nearby, he said.

According to him, “On sighting the patrol men they took to their heels. They were given a hot chase during which one of them was shot while others escaped.

“On searching the vehicle, three AK 47 rifles with breach Nos. 5011527, 58485, 56651, 193 rounds of 9.6mm live ammunition and two dynamites were recovered.

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“The injured suspect gave up the ghost at the hospital while the case was transferred to Area Commander’s Office Sapele for further investigation.

“Following the trail of the escaped suspects, detectives attached to Area Commanders’ Office, Sapele arrested three additional suspects who confessed to the crime and further revealed that they planned to kidnap a timber business woman, one Elizabeth Igboyo of Jesse town.

“The suspects volunteered to lead the detectives to arrest their cohorts. However, while on the way, they attempted to escape, but they were shot, re-arrested and rushed to Central Hospital Sapele where they later died while receiving treatment”, he added.

A total of 35 suspects were arrested and paraded, saying that 16 kidnap suspects, 7 suspected cultists, 4 armed robbery suspects, 3 murder suspects and 5 other crime suspects make up the number.

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