Tension over release of 2 suspected kidnappers by police in Delta

By Emma Amaize

CONTROVERSY has erupted over the release from police custody of two suspected robbers and kidnappers, Ndu Osakwe and Odishika Ossai, apprehended by a combined team of Igbe-Ogume and Obodogwa-Ogume communities’ vigilante groups in Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State, April 30, and handed over to the Police.

A member of one of the vigilante groups, who claimed that the suspects opened fire at them when they sighted them (suspects) in their alleged den at the boundary between the two communities, but were subsequently overpowered and arrested after an ensuing shootout, alleged that they were hastily released by the Police.

NDV confronts CP: Commissioner of Police, Delta State, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, who was contacted on the development, told NDV, that contrary to the allegation, police carried out investigations and found out that the suspects were neither armed robbers nor kidnappers, and that the gun allegedly found with them was planted by the vigilante men in their bid to implicate the accused persons.

Investigation Report: An Investigative Report dated May 31 signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Asaba DCP Samuel Ojo, detailed the discreet investigation by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Asaba, when the matter was transferred to it from the Abbi Police Division, Ndokwa West local government on April 2. According to the report, “This deal with a case of suspected robbers/kidnappers transferred from Abbi Division on 2/5/2017 and referred to SARS office for discreet investigation. “The suspects in this case are from Obodogwa-Ogume in Ndokwa West local government of Delta State and since September 2016, there had been a community crisis over community development chairman in the said community. Based on that the Community is divided into two factions, which is Raymond group and Ikechukwu group.

“Because of the crisis, soldiers were deployed to the community to effect arrest and people started running for their dear life which prompted  the suspects to pack from the town to their community  Igbe-Ogume and started farming there.

On 30/4/2017, the farmers from Igbe-Ogume community, who saw the suspects in the farm suspected them to be armed robbers and alerted the community vigilante, which came and did not investigate to know if the suspects were robbers or not, opened gun fire on them which led to the bullet wounds the two suspects sustained.”

Investigation: The report stated: “On receipt of the case, statements were recorded from the complainant and witnesses. The suspect was cautioned and they volunteered their statements. The locally made cut-to-size gun allegedly recovered from the suspect was registered as an exhibit. Investigation was also extended to Obodogwa-Ogume community and Igbe-Ogume community where statements were recorded from other witnesses. Scene of crime visited and search warrant executed, also the second suspect was visited at Catholic Hospital, Abbi , where statement was recorded from him.

 Findings: “Investigation into this case revealed that the vigilante men,  who went to the bush in search of the suspects did not investigate to know if the suspects were robbers or not before opening gun fire on them. That the locally made cut-to-size gun allegedly recovered from the suspects by the complainant was planted on them due to the bullet wounds inflicted on the suspects.

“That the goat meat found in possession of the suspects was given to them by one Alama Martins as claimed by them. That the statements of the first and second suspects in this case are in total agreement. Investigation revealed that the two suspects in this case are not robbers as alleged by the complainant.”

Conclusion/Recommendation: “From the facts and findings enumerated above, it is evidently clear that no prima facie case of armed robbery/kidnapping was established against the two suspects Osakwe Ndubuisi ‘m’ and Ossai Godslove ‘m’.

It is, therefore, recommended that the vigilante men, who went for the operation be brought to book while the elders from the two communities be invited for advice to avoid inter-communal crisis.”

The post Tension over release of 2 suspected kidnappers by police in Delta appeared first on Vanguard News.