Police in Rivers State have praised the bravery of lawyer and staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Tamuno Igbikiberebima, for dispossessing a kidnapper of his AK47.

Commissioner of Police, Rivers Command, CP Joseph Mukan, on Thursday, recognised the heroics of Igbikiberebima who also held the kidnapper he dispossessed of his gun till police came in to arrest him.

Mukan was giving a rundown on his stewardship, measuring challenges and achievements since taking over as Rivers CP April this year. He said the NNPC staff was “kidnapped 17/12/2020 in his residence at Rumuigbo but displayed uncommon bravery by putting up strong resistance, whereupon he single handedly dispossessed one of the kidnappers of his AK47 Rifle and arrested him and later the second kidnapper was arrested.”

Mukan said on assumption of office as 40th Rivers CP, “I met challenging situations on ground. I re-strategised and repositioned my men, with the strong charge to embark on aggressive intelligence policing, with a view to gathering actionable information, which ultimately led to the dislodgement of the criminals.

“A case in point being the arrest of most dreaded gang leader, Honest Diigbara (aka Bobisky) who was declared wanted by the State Government with a Bounty of Thirty Million Naira. He was eventually arrested and the bounty redeemed.

“Between April and now I have been able to arrest and prosecute a good number of suspected kidnappers, Armed Robbers, rescued kidnap victims and recovered large cache of Arms/Ammunition, among other achievements.”

He noted that, “The Command is not oblivious of the fact that this is the period where criminals take advantage to unleash havoc on unsuspecting persons. In view of the above, we have put in place elaborate and workable security measures that will contain and curtail these nefarious activities.

“Let me advise all residents of Rivers that we are now on the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, we must strictly observe the protocols, particularly the presidential directives on gathering of persons, among others, as defaulters will be arrested and prosecuted.

“I re-echo earlier stand on use of fireworks, crackers and knockouts, which by their very nature are explosives, capable of causing harm, panic and tension in the state. Accordingly, parents and Guardians are advised to warn their children/wards to desist from blasting these substances, as defaulters will be arrested and prosecuted.”

Among other key achievements, he presented the “arrest of four members of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the recovery of materials and weapons belonging to them.”

The IPOB suspects include Ugochukwu Abaziem, Chinedu Ureabu, Sunny Vincent, Onyekachi Sylvester. They were arrested at Iriebe Housing Estate near Oyigbo LGA.

“They are suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB responsible for attacks on police stations during the #EndSARS protest in Oyigbo Area Command, where three police stations were burnt and looted.

“Exhibits recovered from them include: One Transmission Radio Set (Biafra Radio) Large quantities of IPOB T-Shirts and face Caps. A Calendar bearing the photograph of Nnamdi Kanu. One Television set customized matchetes, bearing members’ names. Substances used in the worship of their god, EZUMEZU AMADIOHA JUJU.” (Vanguard)

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