At least 11 suspected kidnappers were on Tuesday arrested by a local vigilante group, ONELGA SECURITY PEACE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE, OSPAC.
The daredevils have gained notoriety for carrying out deadly kidnapping and killings along the East-West Road thereby making the road unsafe for travellers.
But the local vigilante group, posing as travellers in a commercial bus, was attacked by the team of kidnappers with the sole aim of abducting them for ransom not knowing that they were trapped.
They were rounded up and arrested.
Speaking to journalists while parading the criminals, OSPAC chairman, Goodluck Okoro, explained that they took the decision to go against the kidnappers in order to make the road safe for travellers.
He noted that OSPAC has been proactive in the fight against crime and criminality in the state, adding that a cache of arms were recovered from the suspects and called for support by well-meaning residents of the state.
In his remarks, former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area and current Chief Liaison Officer to the Executive Governor of Rivers State Hon. Engr. Prince Isaac Umejuru commended the efforts OSPAC in Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area through the Local policing Service carried out within and outside the Local Government.
Umejuru in a statement called on Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to recognize the Security team and incorporate it as Security Agent in the state to enable OSPAC function effectively and if possible registered and fully licensed to operate in all parts of the state.
“Barely 24Hours Ago, OSPAC invaded the East-West Road, disguised themselves as travellers, and apprehended more than Ten (10) Bandits that have been terrorising the route, raided camps as the criminals took to their heels and scampered for safety of which most of them were caught up by Karma.
“Sincerely, it is a welcomed Development and will put crime and criminality to a halt. I hereby call on the Rivers State Government to provide necessary weapons and equip this team for effective Operation in the State.
” Let me also commend and thank everyone in Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area who in one way or the other has contributed to keeping this great flag of OSPAC flying, the OSPAC Chairman HRH Goodluck Okoro and his team, Kudos to the Executive Chairman of the LGA Ambassador Odili Victor Ifeanyi Chukwu. He is indeed doing a nice job to keep this team moving from strength to strength, they have my unalloyed support now and always”
