Paul Osuyi, Asaba
A Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Delta State, who was allegedly kidnapped at the weekend along the Benin-Asaba-Onitsha expressway, has regained his freedom.
The victim, Mr. Okoro, is in charge of Galilee Police Station, Ute-Ogbeje community in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state.
An inside source at the state police command headquarters in Asaba, the capital of the state, told our correspondent that the victim was freed by his abductors after a ransom of N3 million was paid.
The DPO was kidnapped last Friday between Onicha-Ugbo and Issele-Uku along the expressway by gunmen, who shot sporadically before whisking him away to an unknown destination. He was said to be on his way to Asaba for an official assignment, when the incident happened.
He allegedly regained his freedom on Sunday after the negotiated ransom was dropped at a designated location for the abductors.
However, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke, denied the incident and the subsequent payment of ransom, saying that it was the DPO’s friend that was allegedly kidnapped on the fateful day.
Adeleke, who said he was in touch with the DPO, added that the police would never encourage anybody to pay ransom for their kidnapped friend or relative to be freed.