Female Pastor Among Three Suspected Kidnappers Arrested By Delta Police

The Police in Delta State have arrested three suspected kidnappers, among them a self-acclaimed female pastor, Franca Okuzor who abducted a woman and collected a ransom of two million naira and  jewelleries worth another three million naira.

The police command in a statement issued on Sunday evening by its Spokesman, Bright Edafe gave the names of the other two suspects as Kabi Kester ‘m’ aged 43 years and Henry Owojero ‘m’ aged 42 years.

According to Edafe, the arrest of the suspect followed a complaint by a distress caller and subsequent intelligence-led investigation.

The statement reads, “On 19/7/2023, a case of kidnapping was reported at Obiaruku Police station, the distress caller (name withheld) stated that on their way back from their shop at about 2030hours of the same date, three masked men armed with guns accosted them at the entrance of their house located at Obinoba in Nkwani LGA and kidnapped the mother.

“Sequel to this complaint,the Commissioner of Police CP Wale Abass psc detailed the DPO Obiaruku Police Station to work in synergy with the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber-Crime Squad (SAKCCS) to immediately launch a manhunt for the hoodlums and rescue the kidnapped victim.

“On 26/7/2023, the kidnappers released the victim after collecting a ransom of Two Million Naira (#2,000,000) and other jewelleries worth about Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (#3,500,000).

“Armed with relevant information, the command embarked on an intelligence-led investigation which paid off when on 4/8/2023, the operatives arrested one Kabi Kester ‘m’ aged 43yrs.

“Suspect when interrogated, confessed to being a member of the gang that kidnapped the woman(name withheld). His confession led to the arrest of two other suspects namely Henry Owojero ‘m’ aged 42yrs, and Franca Okuzor ‘f’  a self-acclaimed pastor and wife to the leader of the gang named Celestine Okuzor Nova (at large) in whose house the victim was held captive for six days.

“They all confessed to their involvement in the kidnapped and named four others Celestine Okuzor Nova, Uche (surname unknown), Chinedu Etudo, and Nweke (surname unknown) as members of the gang. An intensive manhunt for the other gang members is ongoing.”

Meanwhile, Kanyi Daily reported that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has nabbed 21 persons including touts, illegal foreign exchange dealers, hawkers, and scavengers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

The arrest of the 21 person comes days after three suspected cable thieves were arrested while digging and cutting electric cables connecting the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Powerhouse (International Wing, MMA) to the Domestic Terminal(MMA), Lagos.