Police operatives in Delta State have arrested a former two-term councillor, Ndubisi Okechukwu, for allegedly masterminding a foiled kidnapping attempt. Okechukwu, who once represented Emu-Uno in the Kwale Local Government Area, was apprehended following intelligence reports about a plan to abduct a prominent community member.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement by Bright Edafe, Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, obtained by our correspondent in Warri on Sunday. According to the police, Okechukwu was detained on October 21, 2024, after officers from the Abbi Division uncovered the plot.
Edafe revealed that the former councillor confessed during interrogation, claiming that frustration over his suspension from office drove him to the crime. "He admitted that he intended to kidnap the woman, believing the local government would pay ransom since the victim was close to the council chairman," the statement read. Okechukwu remains in police custody as investigations deepen.
In a parallel operation, police operatives thwarted another criminal act involving a notorious kidnapper along the Sapele-Warri axis. Acting on a tip-off, officers trailed the suspect, identified as Philip Onoghosa, a leader of a kidnapping ring terrorizing the area. On October 25, 2024, operatives spotted Onoghosa purchasing illicit drugs at Amukpe Roundabout in Sapele. Upon sighting the police, he fled, abandoning a Black Toyota Corolla with registration number SKL330AE.
A search of the abandoned vehicle revealed a loaded Baretta pistol with two live rounds. Edafe confirmed that a manhunt for Onoghosa is ongoing, as the police intensify efforts to dismantle his criminal network.
In another high-stakes operation, the Safer Highway Patrol Team intercepted a stolen black Toyota RAV4 SUV along the Mosogar-Benin Road on October 22, 2024. The driver attempted to evade capture by speeding off, but officers pursued him. When the police closed in, the suspect abandoned the vehicle and escaped into a nearby forest.
Upon searching the SUV, officers found vehicle papers linking it to an owner in Kogi State, who confirmed the car was stolen from his compound. Additionally, two metal master keys and 14 keys for different Toyota models were recovered, pointing to a possible vehicle theft syndicate.
Reacting to the wave of criminal activities, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, reassured residents that the command is committed to reducing crime during the high-risk Ember months. “We are deploying officers across all 25 local government areas and ramping up visibility patrols. Criminal hideouts and black spots will be raided regularly to ensure the safety of our residents,” the CP stated.
