THE Delta State Police Command has announced a N2 million reward for anyone who could disclose the whereabouts of the killer of Dr Ian Squire, the Briton missionary, Karowei Pere Gbakumor, for immediate arrest.
Dr Squire was found dead after the release of three of his colleagues who were kidnapped on October 13 allegedly by militants led by Karowei at Anakorogho in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State live.
The Police Commissioner, Mr Zanna Ibrahim, made the disclosure on Monday, in a statement.
He described Karowei as the prime suspect, noting that detectives from the command have launched a manhunt to smoke him out of his hiding place for arrest.
According to him, the gang leader, who hails from a community near Enekorogha community, six suspects have helped the police with useful information in connection to the crime, adding they are still undergoing investigation session that could lead to the arrest of the prime suspect.
CP Ibrahim named the all-male suspects under police custody to include, Ekpenunena Court member, (19yrs) from Enerorogha Community; Wirly Huludu, (35yrs) of Edegbene Community; Godswill Hana (22yrs) of Ekragbene Community; James Tennes (45yrs) of Enakorogha Community and Ebimene Arerebo (31yrs) of Torrindoro Community, Bayelsa State.
Explaining further on the arrest, CP in the statement released by spokesman of the command, Mr Andrew Aniamaka, “recalled that during one of our last press briefings, precisely on the 17 October, 2017, we informed you of the unfortunate incident regarding the kidnap of the above mentioned British citizens on 13/10/17, at Enakorogha in Burutu by a gang of armed militants/kidnappers led by one Karowei Mgho.
“Acting on available intelligence, Operatives of the Command effected the arrest of the first four suspects above who have various degrees of complicity in the case.
“One of the suspects, Ekpenunena Court member confessed to having led the gang to the scene.
“Also on 14 October, the first suspect Ebimene Arerebo ‘m’, 31yrs of Torrindoro Community in Ekremo local government area of Bayelsa State was arrested by a team of military men attached to Sector 1 Operation Delta Safe, Effurun based on information that he aids and abets the activities of the notorious kidnap syndicate headed by Karo-owei by acting as informant to the syndicate.”
The statement, which further gave details of the roles played by each of suspects, however confirmed the death of a police Sargent attached to the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, Mr Sanusi Lanre who sustained gunshots after a gun duel with the hoodlums, was shot dead during a gun duel with the kidnap gang.
It will be recalled that the Britons, David Donovan, his wife Shirley and Alanna Carson and Dr Ian Squire were abducted on October 13, at Enakorogha in preparation to offer cataract operations and eye check-ups to people of the Ijaw community.
The captors released three others but killed Dr Squire, a British optician who was on his fourth trip to the country to treat Ijaw folks with various eye defects and challenges.
and then