Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The decomposing corpse of a former councillor in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr Onoakpoma Onose, was over the weekend recovered at a rubber plantation in Okurekpo community in the locality.
Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the state police command who recovered the corpse deposited at the Eku Baptist Hospital.
Onose was abducted on March 31 by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers who allegedly shot him dead after collecting a ransom of N500,000 from his family.
Public Relations Office of the Command DSP Andrew Aniamaka, who confirmed the incident in Asaba on Sunday, said the corpse was found last Friday, May 10, adding that three suspects identified as Oghenero, Lucky and Moses, were earlier arrested on May 2 in connection with the abduction.
A source in the community told our correspondent that a search party was mobilised shortly after the victim’s kidnap, searching for for five consecutive days without results.
The source, who described the arrested gang members as terrors in the community, said they have been involved in several robbery operations, dispossessing persons along the Eku/Warri road before the late ex-councillor ran into their hands.
The victim, according to our source, had served in the Ethiope East legislative arm, where he represented one of the Abraka wards.
Our correspondent also gathered that two other members of the gang are still at large, while one of their wives is in police custody helping with the investigations.
