Christopher Oji
The Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has arrested a most wanted Amalgamated Niger Delta Avengers (ANDA) commander and his second-in-command.
They were arrested following several reports of threats from the group to the Niger Delta Petroleum Resources (NDPR), located in Obumeze community, Rivers State. Operatives of the IRT deployed to Port Harcourt by IGP Ibrahim Idris swung into action and arrested two principal actors who posed as militants and threatened the company.
A senior police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: “The threat messages demanded an initial payment of N20 million and to be placed on monthly salary of N3 million; failure to do so would be followed with kidnap, death, vandalism/explosions and attacks on the company’s assets.
“The suspects are LoveGod Chinuzioke, 27, a native of Obumeze community, Ahoada LGA, Rivers State. He is from the host community of NDPR and was just granted bail from Port Harcourt Maximum Prison for a case of armed robbery and kidnapping. He hatched the idea of extorting money from the company and got contact numbers of senior personnel of NDPR; and Justice Okolo, 25, a native of Aniocha South LGA of Delta State. He composed and sent the threat messages to the company.He also admitted the he belonged to a notorious robbery gang terrorising Ahoada and environs. The phone used for the threat was recovered from him.”
The police officer said the force was making efforts to arrest the remaining accomplices now on the run and recover arms, ammunition and explosives in the gang’s possession.