Controversy Trails Arrest Of Three Naval Ratings Fingered In Kidnap Case In Sapele

Controversy has continued to trail the arrest of three naval ratings in Sapele, Delta State, alleged to have been involved in the kidnap of a 26 year-old-man, Peter Okologbo.

Okologbo was abducted last Tuesday from his residence in Uvwie Local Government Area. council.

However, more details on the incident have been revealed.

Sources said the 26-year-old was held by a yet-to-be-identified naval personnel of the Nigerian Navy Logistics Command, Oghara.

The said security operatives were stationed on guard on a NN building along Ajogodo Road in Sapele.

However, a suspect linked to the abduction was said to have confessed where the victim was being held after their hideout was reportedly raided by policemen from ‘A’ division in Warri, led by CSP T.Y. Mahmud and men of the Sapele main police station led by CSP Harrison Nwabuisi with men of the 19th battalion, Koko stationed at Tima guest in Ugbeyiyi, on Saturday evening.

The suspect was nabbed while trying to collect ransom, Oasis Magazine learnt.

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The suspects were said to have requested for N11million ransom and opted for documents of a landed property situated in Abraka when the money could not be raised.

Meanwhile, a reliable source in the Navy disputed this, stating that what actually went awry was a case of “yahoo-yahoo”.

The Delta Police Command has denied the reports, saying that it was a case of kidnapping and didn’t even mention the Navy’ personnel to be involved.

The police, in their statement issued, said: “On the 24/04/2021 at about 1000hrs, a complaint was received by the DPO ‘A’ Division Warri, CSP T.Y. Mahmud that on the 23/04/2021 at 2100hrs that while the complainant was with her boyfriend one Peter Okologo ‘m’ age 26yrs, resident of Nigercat Ekpan in Uvwie local government area, one Ejiro John ‘m’ age 25yrs of Ugbori Community in Warri, led a group of armed men, some of them where alleged to be on military uniforms with guns and other weapons.

“They stormed their house and whisked away from her boyfriend one Peter Okologo ‘m’ after firing gunshots, took him to an unknown destination.

“On the strength of the report, the DPO ‘A’ Division Warri CSP T.Y Mahmud mobilised rapid respond team from the Division and swung into action immediately.

“They arrested another suspect one kingsley Omagbemi ‘m’ age 25yrs. Both of them were the ones who led the kidnappers to the victim’s house where he was kidnapped. Policemen visited the scene and recovered three empty shells.

“After thorough investigation and interrogation, the two suspects led the police team to Sapele where the DPO Sapele Division, CSP Harrison Nwabuisi also mobilised men from Sapele Division and joined force with men of ‘A’ Division Warri, where one David Isaac Mojo ‘m’ age 32yrs of No. 12 Akintola Street, Sapele, was arrested at the kidnappers den.

“The said David Isaac Mojo has already demanded the sum of N11 million as ransom. He was arrested as he came out to collect the said ransom, while one Alason ‘m’, surname unknown, escaped with a black Toyota Camry, registration number unknown.

“The kidnapped victim was rescued by the police. Suspects in custody while the investigation is in progress with a view to arresting the other fleeing members of the gang”.

But the naval source who spoke in confidence disclosed that the case was that of an internet fraudster who tried to trick one of his partners in crime.

The source said: “What happened is that the guy (supposed victim) made away with some money and his friends caught and took him to the ratings to help them get the money from the guy.

“But the guy said he had used the money to develop a plot of land. So the girlfriend was asked to bring the documents of the property.

“Perhaps the girlfriend was advised to involve the police. So when she took the documents there, they (policemen) lured one of the boys out, who then led them to the house, where they met the Navy personnel.

“The mistake they (ratings) made was not transferring the case to the Police who handle civil matters. They acted illegally. The building where he was kept belongs to the Navy. It is like a guest house”.

When contacted, the Base information officer for the Nigerian Naval Engineering College, Sapele, Lt Cdr Rasheed Iginla said “investigation is ongoing”.

Attempts to speak with the NN Base Information Officer in Oghara, failed as he didn’t pick several calls to his phone lines.

An SMS to his phone line was yet to be replied as of the time of filing this report.