The command said the arrested hoodlum is a member of the gang that abducted and killed one Justice Azundah, the Chief Protocol Officer of the former Chief of Staff, Rivers State.
The State Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi disclosed this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Nwonyi revealed that the suspects before killing Azundah, received the sum of N2 million as ransom through a bank transaction from his family.
Emeka further said following credible intelligence, men of the command raided the suspects’ camp on July 20, 2023, injuring many of the criminals who managed to flee with bullet wounds, adding that the police were on their trail.
He stated, “Operatives of the C4i Intelligence Unit while acting on intelligent-led policing and a follow-up in a case of kidnapping/murder, arrested one suspect that ran away to Magboro Community in Owode Ibafo of Ogun State in connection with the kidnap and murder of the late Justice Azundah.
He was the Protocol Officer to the Chief of Staff to the former Governor of Rivers State from Isiodu Community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to having collected a ransom of N2 million through a bank transaction from the family of the victim, before he was murdered. On June 4, 2023, operatives raided the camp of the kidnappers, during the raid on the camp located in Isiodu/Elibrada Forest.
“On July 20, 2023, members of the gang engaged the police operatives in a gun battle during which one suspect was fatally wounded while others escaped with gunshot injuries.
“The fatally wounded suspect was identified as one Chinedu Azunda, popularly known as Omo, aged 36 years, a native of Isiodu Community in Emuoha Local Government Area.”
The CP said one pump action rifle with a bag containing 22 rounds of live cartridges was recovered from the scene.
“Investigation is still in progress, as every effort to recover other operational weapons and arrest of the fleeing suspects is ongoing, ” he said.
Nwonyi noted that on Thursday operatives of the command following intelligence burst into another kidnappers camp in Ahoada West LGA of the state where the criminals upon sighting the police opened fire, promoting a gun duel with the police leading to the killing of one of the suspects, while others escaped.
He stated “On 27/7/2023, at about 0400hrs upon credible information received by Operatives of the Command stormed one Dangerboy and Double Chief Camp at Ebrass Community Forest both notorious cultist in Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state.
“The hoodlums in their numbers, on sighting the police operatives, engaged them in a gun dual and one of them was fatally wounded by the superior firepower of our operatives, while others escaped with bullet injuries.
“Exhibits Recovered; One AK-47 rifle with breech number 549168 and five magazines loaded with fifty-one (51) rounds of live ammunition, three live cartridges, one live GPMG ammunition and some assorted charms.”
