By Emma Amaize

ASABA—OPERATIVES of Delta State Police Command have apprehended a serving Army officer for delivering arms and ammunition to kidnapping and robbery gangs in the state and environs.

Also arrested along with him were 18 suspected kidnappers.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, who confirmed the arrests to Vanguard at Asaba, the state capital, said in the past month, 53 suspects were arrested for various crimes, 11 victims rescued, one suspect killed, 10 arms, 408 ammunition and two vehicles recovered.

On the arrest of the Army officer, Ibrahim said: “State Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, SAKCCS, operatives, acting on intelligence report, tracked and arrested the suspect at Aduwawa area of Benin, Edo State and recovered 300 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

His ID

“On interrogation, the suspect, identified as a serving member of the Nigeria Army, a Lance Corporal, attached to 1070 Division Workshop, Maiduguri, Borno State, according to preliminary investigation, is among others allegedly supplying arms and ammunition to various kidnapping and robbery syndicates within the state and environs.

“The case is under investigation.”

Ibrahim revealed that based on a tip-off, detectives seized two of the suspected kidnappers, Tuoto and Prince, who abducted Mrs. Ekpongbolo Preye, the 81-year-old mother of the Deputy Majority Leader of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. K. O. Preyor, at Kpakiama community in Bomadi Local Government Area, on September 17.