From Blessing Ibunge, Port Harcourt
Four wanted notorious kidnappers and cultists terrorising residents of Eleme Local Government Area and its environs in Rivers State, have been killed by a joint team operatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The killed suspects include two brothers, Teetito Frank and Teetito Godwin, Joe Mba and Gift Paul.
It would be recalled that Joe Mba and Gift Paul were among the notorious criminals declared wanted by the State government for returning to crime after embracing the state government’s amnesty offer.
It was gathered that Mba (Alias Escape or Mba Boy) was the leader of the “Termites Wing” of the Deygbam, a cult group with their camp in Ebubu community in Eleme local government area of Rivers State.
The corps of the hoodlums were displayed yesterday (Thursday) before newsmen at the headquarters of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt by heads of the Army, Police and DSS.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Vwamhi Felix, who spoke to newsmen at the 6 Division, Nigeria Army, said the hoodlums died during a gun battle with the joint security team at a hotel, located near Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Felix said, “We are here to witness another victory by the security agencies in bringing down persons who had visited Port Harcourt and its environs with untold hardship and terror.
“One of the cultists you find there on the ground is known by the name, Joe Mba, aka Mba boy. He is a member of Deygbam cult group, an outlawed cult group in Rivers State. He had been declared wanted by the state government. He had been a thorn in the flesh for all and sundry in and outside Port Harcourt.
“Yesterday being July 19, 2018 at about 1530 hours, an operation was carried out. They were trailed from Port Harcourt to Owerri where they were in a hotel. Security agencies surrendered the hotel.
“On realizing that they were covered, the cultists, in daring to escape, open fire on the security agents who were already ready for them. In the shootout that ensued, four of them were gunned down and their AK-47 rifles recovered.”
The Deputy Commissioner of Police further described the killing of the four kidnappers and cultists as a victory for all law abiding citizens in Nigeria.
He said, “This is a victory for all law abiding citizens in this country. As far as we get corporation from everybody, we will be able to stem the tide of violent crimes in this country.”
Also speaking, Chairman, Eleme Local Government Council, Barr Philip Oparaji commended the security agencies for the achievement, adding that the people of the area can sleep with their two eyes closed.
He assured his cooperation with security agencies to clampdown crime in the area.