The Police on Wednesday paraded a 52-year-old pastor, Adetokunbo Adenokpo, for allegedly abducting a dispatch rider, forcibly injected and detained him in an underground facility in his church in Sagamu, Ogun State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, (FPRO), Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP, who paraded Adenokpo alongside 34 other suspects for various offences ranging from armed robbery Kidnapping illegal possession of firearms to cattle rustling and other sundry offences in Abuja said that all the suspect’s had made confessional statements to the Police.
DCP Mba who was flanged by the Commander of the IGP FIB-IRT, DCP Abba Kyhari told newsmen the dispatch Rider with Glory Master Logistics, Job Ekpe Jonathan, who mainly distributes Forever Living products was abducted by Adenokpo and his gang when he went to deliver some items in his Church on a fateful day
Mba said the Pastor, who is the General Overseer of Newlife Church of God located at Sagamu, injected Jonathan with anaesthesia to weaken him so they could tie him up easily.
He explained that upon the receipt of the report, the Abba Kyari led special Force launched an investigation and eventually rescued Jonathan where he was detained in the underground facility in the church.
The Pastor, who was arrested with his accomplices, told newsmen that he was 22 years in the ministry having been ordained in Ibadan.
According to him, “In my church, we do charity, where I share food and palliative to people and this became stronger during the COVID-19. I felt pity for people and I don’t have any money in my account and people were still coming to me for help, this prompted me to look for alternative ways to raise funds to be used to buy palliative items for people during this coming Sallah celebration”.
He said the underground facility where he detained Jonathan was built when he was attacked by some persons sometime ago and it was for him to escape into whenever his assailants came and well kept some young men around him for protection.
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According to him, ” a few weeks ago we were short of funds. So I had the idea of doing something for Ileya so I can get some bags of rice and beans and palm oil and other things to share, and probably with a ram, which we can cut and give to poor people and we thought we should get money from the rich companies and then raise money and use it to take care of poor people.
“The three of us were involved in the kidnap of Jonathan with the hope of raising funds for the Ileya. I injected him because he was struggling I did not want him to be injured”.
Similarly, the Police also arrested one Udodiri Bright aka Ability 30years old, native of Osuachara Village, Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo state and three others, Ekwuru Shadrack aka Escoba’ 26years native of Arondizuogu village in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo state, Chimerie Igwe aka 4real 30years old, native of Umucheke Village in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State and Chibuike Sunday, 28years from Arondizuogu of Imo State.
According to the FPRO, they were arrested on the 5th of July, 2020 for the abduction and killing of a Nigerian US Soldier, Chuks Okebata who came into Nigeria for holidays in his home town, Okigwe, Imo State in 2017.
He explained that the suspects who were one of the foremost kidnapping groups terrorizing the South Eastern part of the country were arrested 31 months after, following intensive manhunt by the Police team.
He added that the Police team also arrested a 9-man trans-boundary armed robbery and car snatching syndicate led by one Yakubu Hayatu, 30years from Borno State.
He stated that investigations revealed that the syndicate had snatched over thirty exotic cars at gun point and killed two Policemen.
According to him, “they used anti-tracker devices to evade arrest and deliver the vehicles to one Alhaji Garba in Maradi, Niger Republic.
“18 of the stolen vehicles have so far been recovered by the Police team. The team is working with the INTERPOL to apprehend Alhaji Garba and to recover the remaining vehicles
“Exhibits recovered include: 4 Ak47 Rifles, 1 FMC rifle, 1 Pump Action Gun, 2 double barrel guns, 1 Beretta pistol, 4 AK47 Magazine, 6 cartridges, 378 Rounds of live Ammunition, 1 Network Jammer (anti-tracker device), others.”
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