Police kill armed robbery suspect, body of kidnapped politician found dead in Delta

The Police in Ogwashi-Uku near Asaba Delta State in the early hours of Wednesday killed a robbery suspect (name withheld) around Agidiesei Quarters in the Community while allegedly trying to escape from the police after he was arrested.

The divisional Police Officer of the Ogwashi-Uku Police Division, (DPO) Mr. Tobi Debakeme who confirmed the killing of the suspect, said the Division’s anti-robbery officers acted on a tip-off during which the suspect and two of his gang members were robbing passersby in the area.

It was gathered that the policemen had approached the suspects for identification when two of them took off, leaving their arrow head behind. Accordingly, in a bid to search the suspect, the police recovered locally made cut-to-size gun in his bag, and was handcuffed.

The body of the suspect was said to have been taken to the bush where he was buried. Some concerned residents who claimed to have witnessed the incident commended the efforts of the police for their untiring efforts to reduce the cases of robbery in the community. The residents however called on well meaning indigenes of the community to give the police maximum support with a view to ensuring the residents sleep with their two eyes closed.

Meanwhile, a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Ogwashi-Uku community, Mr. Emeka Chimokwu, who was recently kidnapped by a gang of persons suspected of being Hausa-Fulani me, has been found dead. The deceased’s decomposing remains was discovered in a thick forest somewhere at Idumuje-Uno in Aniocha North Council Area of the state.

Findings by our reporter revealed that the victim was kidnapped by the young men as he was heading home from an outing in Aniocha North. Unconfirmed information had it that the late Chimokwu was going home to Asaba via Azagba-Ogwashi-Uku after a political meeting which held at the house of one of the top political leaders in Ogwash-Uku metropolis when he was ambushed and kidnapped by his assailant sometime last week.

Confirming the incident when contacted on phone, the Police Image Maker, Delta State, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, said three out of the five man gang members have been arrested. “Following a tip off, after the kidnap of the victim, the police swung into action and, with the help of the cell phone of the deceased which was still in the possession of one of the kidnappers by name Yari Mohammed, we embarked on tracking the phone. Luck ran against the criminal and we were able to track the phone to him and arrested him.

“He was the one that led us to the second suspect, Haninu Ishaq, whom we also arrested alongside the third suspect. Presently, two out of the five man gang are still at large. The arrested suspected, during interrogation, told the police where they dumped the decomposing body of the deceased somewhere around the Idumuje-Uno forest.

“It was from the forest we recovered the decomposing body of the deceased. Presently, the suspects are still with us as investigation is still ongoing into the matter, although, they have confessed to the crime and are helping the police with further investigation,” Aniamaka revealed.

Further investigation revealed that the family of the deceased who were earlier contacted by the kidnappers had paid some ransom to the kidnappers in line with their demand.

“But they still went ahead to murder him after they had collected the money”, hinted a source who was privy to the development it will be recalled that it was in a similar circumstance the Obi of Ubulu-Uku, Edward Ofulue, was kidnapped and murdered in cold blood by some Hausa-Fulani young men somewhere in Ika North-East Council Area of the state while he was going for a meeting.

Nosa Akenzua, Asaba