Former councillor arrested over alleged kidnap attempt in Delta

The Delta State Police have apprehended a former member of the Ndokwa West Local Government Council in connection with an alleged attempt to kidnap a woman in the Abbi community.

Police spokesperson Bright Edafe announced the arrest in a statement on Sunday from Asaba.

According to Edafe, the former councillor was taken into custody following careful intelligence gathering by police operatives.

Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Abbi Division, Florence Onum, received credible information indicating that the former lawmaker was plotting to kidnap a prominent member of the Abbi community.

Superintendent Edafe reported that based on this intelligence, police operatives conducted a discreet investigation.

The former councillor, whose name has been withheld, and an accomplice were arrested on October 21 at approximately 9 p.m.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect said he was suspended from his councillorship position and that he wanted to kidnap the woman so that the local government would pay a ransom since the woman was close to the council chairman,” Mr Edafe said.

The spokesperson said the suspect was in police custody and that the investigation was ongoing.

He quoted the Delta Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, as reiterating the police’s commitment to ensure that crime is reduced in the state.

Mr Abaniwonda said the crime rate was likely to increase because of the Yuletide and that the command had deployed police operatives across the 25 local government areas in the state.

“The command has embarked on an intensive visibility patrol while constant raiding of criminal hideouts and black spots will be intensified.

“Members of the public are urged to partner with the police by providing useful, timely, and credible information that will help the police in the fight against crime,” he said. 

(NAN)