By Amgbare Ekaunkumo,Yenagoa
Men of the Operation Puff Adder of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested leaders of two notorious kidnapping gangs, Nelson Waripamo popularly known as Mandela and Jackson Dakolo.
Mandela, 34 years and Dakolo, 35 years, both from Gbarantoru community in Yenagoa local Government area of the State, were identified as the kidnap gangs responsible for the various cases of armed robbery and high profile abduction involving the collection of ransom raging from N5 million to N20 million.
Some members of their gangs include wanted boys from Azuzuama, Kokorose communities of Southern Ijaw and Okubie community in Rivers State.
Daily Watch gathered that the gang split after a misunderstanding over the sharing formula adopted for monies stolen in an operation.
It was further gathered that Mandela, who reside at Onopa area of the state capital and father of three children, was responsible for the May 26th abduction of Mrs. Orela Oyibo, the 38 years old wife of Dr. Charles Oyibo, a lecturer in the state owned University, Niger Delta University.
It was gathered that the Mandela gang had stormed the home of the University lecturer at Gbarantoru at about 1am and cut off the generator, ‘the lecturer refuses to come out and when they cut into the house, the lecturer escaped. But they took away the wife. The leader of the gang claimed a ransom of N300,000 was paid by the lecturer, which angered the gang members.’
Jackson Dakolo, who is a known social figure in Yenagoa, walked into the operational headquarters of the Operation Puff Adder to secure the release of his cousin arrested for armed robbery,
‘ He was identified by one of the policemen for popping up on the police wanted list, was reportedly responsible for the 24th January abduction of a retired oil worker, Engr. Duncan Eke at St. Peter Anglican Church in Igbedi community of Southern Ijaw area of the State.
It also learnt that the Dakolo led gang shot the clergy of the Anglican church in the leg while escaping with their victim and latter shot Duncan in the leg for the reluctance of the family to pay up the N70 million demanded.
‘After 21 days in the kidnappers den, and series of his nude pictures taken to blackmail the family, a sum of N20m was collected. N10 million paid by the family and N10 million paid by Duncan upon his release and in fulfillment of his promise to sell bonds saved in the bank’
It was also gathered that some of these kidnapping cases occurred before the setting up of the Operation Puff Adder led by DSP Christian Nwaogbo but the arrest made on cases of armed robbery of bank customers ,’have opened the cases and the puff adder has arrested the culprits’
A police Source said that the Operation Puff Adder and the State Police Command have redoubled their efforts to counter kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism in the state,’ most of these criminals are reaching out to be engaged for coming political activities, the police are all out for them.’
The spokesman of the command, SP. Asimin Butswat, confirmed the development and said details will be made available later.
