Crime & SecurityNewsNigeriaKidnapping: Delta Police Arrests 4 Suspects Arrested for Receiving Ransom Payments

The Delta State Police Command has apprehended four suspects for allegedly colluding with kidnappers to collect ransom payments from their victims.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the suspects used their bank accounts to receive the ransom payments, deducting between 15 per cent and 40 per cent as their share before remitting the balance to the kidnappers.

The suspects were identified as Chimerije Joshua Nwakpa, Eze Levy Onyekachi, Ezemma Maxwell Nnadozie, and Emmanuel Otubo.

Edafe disclosed that the suspects were in constant communication with the kidnappers, providing account numbers for ransom payments.

“They work in conspiracy with kidnappers. They are always in touch with kidnappers,” he said. “Once they kidnap their victims and they are looking for where to send the ransom money to, they will contact this force man (pointing at one of the suspects) who contacts his friends to provide an account number where the ransom money will be sent to.

“After sending the money, they take their own commission which is between 15 per cent and 40 per cent and send back the balance to the kidnappers.”

During interrogation, Nwakpa confessed to receiving ransom payments totalling N7.9 million, with his share ranging from 15 per cent to 40 per cent. He claimed the funds were used to establish a cryptocurrency website for internet fraud.

Nnadozie revealed a personal connection to one of the kidnappers, stating that they grew up together in Onitsha. He admitted that for each operation, he would take their cuts and withdraw the kidnappers’ share from a POS agent and hand it over to them.

The police are urging residents to report any suspicious activities or crimes to the authorities. “We need the public’s cooperation to combat kidnapping and other crimes,” Edafe said.

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By Ezinwanne Onwuka (Senior Reporter)

Ezinwanne Onwuka, senior staff reporter and columnist with WAP is a Nigerian-based writer and content developer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Her interests include reading, writing, researching and graphic designing.

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