Christopher Oji, Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, in-charge of State Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS,) Bayelsa State Police Command , DCP Kolawole Okunola, who was abducted by armed thugs during the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections , was almost beheaded before a telephone call saved his life.
Investigations by SATURDAY SUN revealed that the officer’s captors had finalized plans to take his life before divine intervention.
According to a police officer attached to Rivers State Police Command who simply identified himself as Amachiri, Okunola had said his last prayers before help miraculously came his way.
Amachiri said, “The captors beat Oga mercilessly and they were about to behead him when a phone call came that he should be spared . His abductors had sworn to kill him in a most horrific manner as they were leading him to the place where his life was to be terminated. But divine intervention came his way at the last minute. Oga had reportedly given up hope before God rescued him’’.
It was gathered that as soon as the DCP was abducted, armed youths numbering hundreds dragged him to a place where they subjected him to untold torture and severe beating and in the process, his uniform was torn to pieces. The youths were reported to be chanting war songs saying that the police officer must die.
The embattled officer was however released following a telephone call to the enraged youths by one of their leaders who told them that the manipulation of the election results in the unit where the officer was abducted had been reversed by INEC officials.
According to Amachiri: “Luckily, while they were waiting for the final order to kill the officer, mother luck smiled on him as message came from one of their leaders that INEC officials had reversed their manipulated results. That was how he escaped death. The officer regained his freedom around 11 am that same day .He was later ferried to safety by the police Marine unit who were already dispatched to comb the creeks in search of him by the Inspector-General of Police.”
The Police Force Headquarters Abuja has announced the arrest of Hon. Sunny Adi, the alleged mastermind and ringleader of the unwarranted attack on a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Kola Okunola in Twon, Brass, Bayelsa State, during the collation of result of the presidential election on February 24, 2019. Also arrested were two other thugs identified as Tamarapreye Victor and Azi Newton while the others remains at large.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Frank Mbah, the prime suspect Adi, is a candidate of one of the major political parties in the House of Representatives Elections in Brass Constituency, Bayelsa State.
He was arrested in his hideout somewhere in Abuja yesterday morning in a well-coordinated secret operation.” His arrest is in line with the directive of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, for the immediate arrest, comprehensive investigation and diligent prosecution of all persons involved in the attack on the DCP in Twon, Brass, Bayelsa State.