Police arrest abductors of Customs Comptroller in Port Harcourt

The seven abductors of Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Justina Tanko, kidnapped on November 11, 2018, from a restaurant she frequented in Onne, Port Harcourt Rivers State have been arrested by the Police.

The arrest was carried out during a 72-hour operation by the IGP Intelligence Response Team led by DCP Abba Kyari.

Those in custody are Zigabari Voonu, 32; Maxwell Barindom, 32; Dele Kunewo-Liaga, 35; Tordi Barinaa, 27; Godspower Keenom, 23; Justice Afangide, 33; and Oludofin Yakubu, 26.

A source said on Thursday that two Ak-47 rifles, a pump action gun and the gang’s operational vehicle were recovered.

He added that the police also recovered a Volkswagen Golf belonging to one Chibuike Ezenkwu, who was kidnapped in May and later murdered and his body thrown into a river after his abductors had collected ransom from his family.

It was gathered that Ezenkwu was killed by the gang because he identified them.

It was learnt that Kyari’s team went after the kidnappers immediately Tanko was released after a negotiated ransom of N5m was paid by her family on November 15.

The detectives successfully arrested the first suspect within 24 hours of the operation.

A senior police officer stated, “The gang is notorious for kidnap for ransom and thereafter causing the disappearance of their hostages after collecting ransom.

“The members confessed to their robbery escapades in Eleme and Gonna Local Government Areas of Rivers State, with a stronghold in Biara town in Gokana LGA and the trailer park in Eleme LGA.”

One of the suspects, Keenom, alias Immortal, a member of Degbam cult group, reportedly confessed that he got N300,000 from the N3m ransom paid for a kidnap victim, Chibuike Ezewuno.