BY SAMUEL  OYADONGHA
YENAGOA — The police in Bayelsa State have arrested two persons suspected to be part of a six-man gang that kidnapped five dredging workers at Opuama in Southern Ijaw area last Friday.

The suspects were identified as Desmond Sunday and Izekemi Thomas.

Also arrested was one Naomi Bassey said to be the lover of the alleged mastermind of the kidnapping, identified as Inemor Worikuma-Lemec.

The suspects were arrested, Wednesday, by men of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the state Police Command.

The operation, it was learnt, was led by an undercover operative simply identified as Chris.

It was gathered that a tracking device was inserted in the bag used in carrying the ransom handed over to the kidnappers, Monday, to facilitate the release of the abducted workers.

N6 million ransom was reportedly paid the kidnappers of which the police recovered N1.45 million when they swooped on the kidnappers’ hideout through the aid of the tracking device.

A source told Vanguard that the initial plan of the security operatives was to swoop on the kidnappers at the point of ransom collection but the men of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Police tracked them to Sabageria community in Nembe council area and nabbed the two suspects with a share of the ransom.

According to a security source, the operatives of the anti-kidnapping squad stormed the hideout of the kidnappers at about 3am when they were sleeping.

“They were sleeping when the Police stormed the place. They hid the money in the designed safe in the cloth hanger. While we are trying to open up the safe to recover the identified tracker and money, the mastermind escaped in the other room,” the source said.

“The mastermind of the kidnapping have been identified as one Inemor. He is alleged to be an ex-militant from the Buo Camp in Southern Ijaw Area of the State and a Surveillance Contractor with Agip Oil Company,” the source added.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Alex Akhigbe confirmed the arrest of the suspects.

He said suspects would be paraded today at the command headquarters during its command monthly briefing in the state.