The police arrested six suspects
among the gang members. The six suspects were identified as Toto Preyor, 32, Prince
Ali Orubiri, 36, Christopher Larry, 31, Gaddafe Abel, 27, Owode Ole, 39, and
Kiper Barolo, 29.
According to the police, the gang
was part of those that attacked a military base in Bomadi. The gang was also
alleged to be responsible for the mayhem that was unleashed on a police
out-station in Burutu, triggering pandemonium in the riverine towns this year.
The smashing of the gang started
last month after some of the members abducted Madam Ekpongbolo Preyor, 81, mother
of a lawmaker at the State's House of Assembly, Kpakiama Town.
Before this, the gang had abducted the
wife of the lawmaker and collected N100 million ransom, from which each member
got N700, 000.
The Delta State Commissioner of
Police, Mr Zanna Ibrahim, presenting the six members of the gang to
journalists, disclosed that one of them, Abel, used to dress in camouflage and
was usually armed with AK47 rifle. He said that it was Abel that used to whisk
abducted victims to the gang’s hideout.
On the day Madam Ekpongbolo was
abducted, Abel carried her to the gang’s waiting boat before she was ferried to
unknown destination.
Ibrahim said: "Madam Ekpongbolo
was rescued unhurt on October 1. So far, six suspects, connected to the
abduction had been arrested. They have also made statements. Effort is on to
nab others."
Another suspect, Ole, who confessed
to the crime, said he took to crime because of financial constraints.
Ibrahim explained that the success
recorded by the command, started after its Tactical Operational Department
(TOD) and the Visibility Policing Strategy (VPS) intensified their operations.
This led to operatives being deployed to man strategic areas and operations.
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