Kamene, wife of Prof Chukwuka Okonjo,
the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South Council of the state, was abducted last
Sunday at the palace.
In the bid to free the matriarch of the
Okonjo family, Aduba explained that the leader of the gang, one Nwazor Nwose,
popularly called Bolaji, was killed by the police during a shootout in the
Umuaji neighbourhood of Asaba.
Aduba described Bolaji as a notorious
bandit, who was earlier arrested by the police some months ago and charged to
court, but was freed on bail, only for him to return to his old business of
kidnapping for ransom.
He said that when the police stormed
the kingpin’s hideout in Asaba, he attempted to escape, but was shot.
The Police chief explained that the
suspect still managed to scale the fence of his house, but was arrested outside
the compound and died on the way to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba,
where his corpse has been deposited in the morgue.
He listed items recovered from the
hoodlums as their getaway Volkswagen car, marked DELTA ASB 677 AA, with which
they abducted the Queen and a Toyota minibus, marked ANAMBRA KPP 64 XA, with
the inscription of God’s Light City Church International.
Both vehicles were parked at a corner
of the sprawling Police headquarters on Okpanam Road, Asaba.
Aduba said a combined team of policemen
from Abuja and Delta State carried out the operation, adding that Mrs. Okonjo,
a retired professor of Sociology, was freed from the kidnappers’ den in Kwale,
Ndokwa West Council of the state, which the police stormed after the killing of
the gang leader and the arrest of other gang members.
He gave the names of the other gang
members arrested as Hard Rock, Tsetse Fly and Tipper Boy, stressing that a
manhunt for the other members was on.
Aduba said: “Acting on
information, we were able to identify the target, who lives in Asaba, the
mastermind of the kidnap of Mrs. Okonjo, one Nwazor Nwose, aslo known and
addressed as Bolaji, who hails from Umuaji Quarters, Asaba.
“He is a notorious kidnapper, who was
arrested some months ago. Some few months ago, before my arrival in the state,
he was arrested and arraigned in court and freed on bail, but continued with
his nefarious activities. This time around, he has met his waterloo.”
The Police commissioner explained that
when the operation to free the octogenarian started, the police had to be extra
careful, because if they had stormed kidnappers’ hideout, it could have
resulted in fatalities, in view of her age.
On rumours that a ransom was paid
before she was set free, Aduba said that as an institution, the police does not
get itself involved in the payment of ransoms. He said it was only the family
members that could speak authoritatively on the issue.
The Palace spokesman, Chief Lawrence
Okolobi, who confirmed the release, said the rest of the family members were
surprised, but very excited when the Queen rode into the palace on an Okada
after she was set free by her captors.
Amidst tight security at the palace,
Okolobi stressed that no ransom was paid before she was freed.
He said the minister’s mother was
released unhurt and in high spirit, but too traumatised to narrate her
experience during her five-day captivity.
At Ogwashi-Uku, the ordinary people
carried on as usual, but the mood in Asaba was exhilarating, following the
killing of Nwose, who most locals who knew him described as a taciturn middle-aged
man with a heart of lion.
Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike
Ogeah, described Prof Okonjo’s freedom as a thing of great joy, saying her
abduction was contrary to African culture, which has great respect for the
elderly and hold traditional institutions in the highest esteem.
The minister, in a statement by her
Special Adviser, Mr. Paul Nwabuiku, thanked President Goodluck Jonathan, the
security agencies for their excellent operations, and Governors Emmanuel
Uduaghan (Delta), Peter Obi (Anambra) and Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), as well as
other governors, friends and well wishers within and outside government for
their prayers and encouragement during the very difficult period of her
mother’s captivity.
Source: Guardian
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