Trouble started when a Warri-based Human Right Lawyer, Barrister Omes Ogedegbe, alleged on a post on his Facebook page that the teenagers were allegedly dragged down from a tricycle into a Camry car at gunpoint by the PTI junction last week.
According to him, “This afternoon while I was in the office secretariat, our Delta Central coordinator who doubles as the UPU Youth President, Comrade Umukoro Efemina, came to the office in the company of his vice and two teenage boys whom he directed to narrate their ordeals to me and it was very devastating.
“They moved them to First Bank, Effurun, while one was in handcuff in the car, the police led the other to the bank and transferred N1.4million to the POS lady’s account making a total of N1.8million.
“The Delta State CP with zero tolerance for corruption, extortion, robbery and hostage-taking directed the DPO Ebrumede to arrest the POS owner who was taken to the station.
“The boys recalled that while at the Plaza they remembered someone greeted the police and told them he would meet them in their Hotel along the DSC express road. We informed the CP about it and proceeded to the hotel with a Senior Police Officer and behold one of the wanted officers was right in front of us.
“This case is a terrific and mind bugling. We have done several recoveries which I enjoy keeping out of the press but I am tempted to make this public as kidnapping cannot be less defined.”
Attempts by a team of police acting on the directive of the Commissioner to arrest the suspects at their hideout along DSS express road were unsuccessful, as one of them escaped leaving his gun behind, assuring that the manhunt continues.
A senior police officer in the state who spoke to us in confidence confirmed the report saying “Yes we are on their trail, they will not escape justice, the current CP in Delta has a zero-tolerance for officers who abuse their position and office.
When contacted to confirm the report, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, Mr. Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa said he was out of the state and would not want to talk about the issue until fully briefed.