Police Nab Kidnap Kingpin, 38 Others In Rivers

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a notorious and wanted kidnapper and murderer, Mr Anthony Pepple, popularly called Urban Gorilla from Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Pepple was said to have been  on the wanted list of the state police command for allegedly killing the late militant leader, Sogboma George, as well as other criminal acts committed since 2009.
He was among the 39 criminal suspects paraded by the police during the visits of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG for Training, Mr Emmanuel Inyang to the command in Port Harcourt over the weekend.
Addressing the state commissioner of Police, Mr Zaki Mohammed Ahmed, said Pepple was arrested on the 17th of April this year along side his  gang members by IGP intelligence monitoring team  in the state.
He named other members of the gang as Salied Adekunle from Ondo State, Hillary Nwogu, Etche LGA, and Ogbugbendu Chima from Elele, all in Rivers  State.
According to him, the suspects have been  on the wanted lists of the police in the state and added that they have all confessed to the killing of late Sogboma George, in 2009, as well as other crimes in the state.
The state police boss also disclosed that two suspects, Mr Lucky Gospel Maraku from Tombia, Degema, and  Agara Emmanuel from Elelenwo in Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas were arrested for kidnapping one Dr Nwachukwu, adding that they have all confessed to the crime.
The Commissioner of Police while giving the break down, said 13 armed robbers, 18 kidnappers and seven cultists were arrested, while 12 kidnapped victims were rescued, while 16 assorted vehicles were recovered within the period under review.
The breakdown further showed that 6AK47 riffles, 12 locally made guns, 23 English made guns, 5 pump action guns, 6 Double Barrel and 6 bags of India hemp were recovered.
“Mr Urban Gorilla is now in our net, he was declared wanted. Today, he is in our possession” he said.
He used the opportunity to call on criminal elements to show remorse or be ready to face the full weight of the law, adding that the police in the state were read to take the war to the hide outs of the criminals.

Akujobi Amadi