By Desire Emmanuel
A commercial motorcycle rider who abducted a three-year-old girl entrusted for taking her on a daily school run and who demanded the sum of N500,000 for the release of the girl has been arrested by men of the Delta State Police Command.
The Okada rider, whose name was given as Kelvin Ogaga, was arrested after he collected the money and subsequently released the child.
It was gathered that he was arrested by the operatives of the Anti-Vice Squad, Sector 2, Ughelli, following a complaint received from the child’s father in the town.
According to the command, the father lodged a report on May 18 that his daughter was abducted by the Okada rider who was entrusted with taking the child on daily school runs.
The father added that after abducting the girl, he subsequently demanded ransom of N500,000 and after a failed negotiation, the family paid the ransom. The girl was eventually released after the payment.
After receiving the report and acting on credible intelligence, the operatives stormed his hideout in Ughelli, where he was arrested and the sum of ₦127,000 believed to be part of the ransom money was recovered.
Also recovered from him were valuables said to have been purchased with proceeds of the crime and the motorcycle used in committing the offence.
He has given more useful information to the operatives and the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for more investigation.
In another development, operatives of Ozoro Division, while on township patrol along Omovutotu Street, Ozoro, intercepted one person identified as Michael Monday, who attempted to flee upon sighting the patrol team.
A search conducted on a black handbag in his possession led to the recovery of one locally-made cut-to-size single-barrelled gun and one cartridge.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly belongs to the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, also known as “Aro Bagger.”
He is currently in custody and investigation is ongoing regarding his activities, the command said in a statement on Thursday.
