The police command in Delta has apprehended a suspected cultist who arranged his kidnap in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesman of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this to journalists on Sunday in Warri.

Mr Edafe said the suspect was a member of the Eiye Confraternity, adding that he was nabbed on Friday, August 11, by the anti-crime patrol team attached to the Orerokpe Police Division in Okpe LGA.

“The command has been investigating the murder of one Regina Ogana, who was kidnapped alongside her husband and other members of her family on August 2, 2023.

“The command received another distress call from the husband of the deceased that one of his brothers made a suspicious call to him that he was kidnapped and that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N500,000.

“The money was transferred into the ‘self-kidnapped’ suspect’s account as his ransom,” he said.

Mr Edafe said upon receiving the information, the Delta Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, ordered the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Oreropke Division, to embark on an intelligence-led investigation and apprehend the perpetrators.

“Consequently, on August 11, 2023, at about 11:45 a.m., the DPO, Orerokpe Division, CSP Paul Oboware, acting on intelligence information, led the Divisional Anti-Crime Patrol team to Odovie Community, Ughelli North LGA, and nabbed the suspect.

“He was apprehended at the same spot where the sum of N1.3 million ransom was earlier paid for the release of his elder brother and husband of the deceased.

“Investigation revealed that the suspect is a member of the Eiye Confraternity; he faked his own kidnap.

“He is also suspected to have masterminded the kidnap of his brother and other family members, which led to the death of Ms Ogana,” he said.

According to him, the suspect has been in police custody while the investigations is ongoing. 

(NAN)