At last reprieve may have come the way of the grieving community in Delta State as the Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday said it had arrested one of the suspected kidnappers and killers of the Obi of Ubulu-Uku, Edward Akaeze Ofulue 11, in the State. The Force Spokesman, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCP) Don Awunah, who presented the suspect and others to journalists said the suspect, Umar Mohammed aka `Small` was arrested by a team of special anti-kidnapping operatives on July 19 at Abraka, Delta.

He said that the suspect was one of the wanted kidnappers responsible for the murder of the monarch on Jan. 5 along Obior/Igbodo link road in Delta. The Obi, a UK-trained lawyer, was adbuscted and murdered on his way to Asaba from his Aniocha South Local Government domain. Original theory said he may have been killed by Fulani herdsmen who had been terrorizing some parts of the state during that period.

Awunah said that one of the victims who escaped from the kidnappers identified Mohammed as one of the suspects. “The suspect has confessed to be a member of the kidnapping gang that kidnapped and killed the monarch“,  he said.  The man who escaped to tell the story was said to be travelling with the Obi when they were both abducted. They were detained in the bush and the abductors were demanding some ransom from the Obi’s family. It was in the course of the negotiation that the man escaped.

According to his early account, they both tried to escape from their assailants but the Obi being much older could not run fast enough and he was shot pointblank by their captors who gave chase to them.

The spokesman said that investigation was being intensified to arrest other members of the gang who are at large. In a related development, Awunah said that the police had also arrested eight suspected kidnappers in Delta. The suspects are: Vincent Obukowho, Mkpere Johnson, Oghenerouna Umokoro and Blessing Akpere.

Others are: Evidence Okoro, Awulu Godwin, Odogwu Frank and Lamil Garuba. He said that the arrests were made possible through a nationwide coordinated operation based on support and deployment of technical platforms. Awunah said that with the arrest of these suspects, Delta and other neighbouring states would have a sigh of relief.

“The police will not rest until these miscreants whose activities are inimical to the nation’s development are checkmated“, he said. He said that items recovered from them included a Hyundai car with registration number As 189 AA, one fabricated G3 rifle and one double and single barrel gun. Others are; one dane gun, three live cartridges, one rope used to tie their victims, one Samsung galaxy `J` 7 phone and a black and white designed piece of cloth. He said that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Idris Ibrahim, had commended the members of the public whose cooperation led to the success of the operation. All the suspects would be charged to court on completion of investigation, he said.

Photo: Late Obi Akaeze