A Pastor and general overseer of Salvation Army Church located in Mbiri community of Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, Rev. Ignatius Ogboi has been arrested by police for being the leader of kidnapping and gunrunning gang in the state.
The pastor, who also owns a pharmaceutical and provision shop at Umunede, was paraded to news men today, Wednesday, by the Delta State Police Command.
The state’s police spokesman, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, who said that the pastor and other suspected kidnappers were still being detained and may be charged to court within a week.
The police had stormed the house of the clergyman with a search warrant and recovered a loaded English Made Double Barrel Gun, three thousand eight hundred and seventy one live cartridges, some prohibited drugs, four million naira cash, three hundred dollars, some amount of fake naira in different denominations and others.
While parading the suspect, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Muhammad Mustafa said that the Reverend had been the leader of a Syndicate group who specializes in sponsoring kidnapping and armed robbery operations within Agbor, Umunede and environs.
The Police boss, who disclosed that the case is still being investigated, said that the monies recovered were part of ransoms collected from kidnap victims.
Meanwhile, the suspect, Rev. Ignatius Ogboi while being interrogated by the Press, confirmed being into gun running and sale of ammunition without license.
He said he wanted to donate the guns and ammunition to the Vigilante outfit in the Area before he was arrested. [myad]
