By CAROL UTULU

Delta Police Command says it has arrested a former legislative member of Ndokwa West Local Government of Delta for an alleged attempted kidnap of a prominent woman in Abbi community.

The command Spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, said in a statement on Sunday in Asaba, that the former councillor was arrested following discreet intelligence gathering by police operatives.

According to Edafe, the DPO, Abbi Division, CSP Florence Onum, received credible intelligence report that the former lawmaker is planning to kidnap a prominent member of Abbi community.

Edafe said that acting on this intelligence report, operatives of the division embarked on a discreet investigation, and on Oct. 21 at about 9am the lawmaker (names withheld) from Emu-Uno community and one other person were arrested.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect said he was suspended from his councillorship position and that he wanted to kidnap the woman so that the local government would pay ransom since the woman was close to the council chairman,” Edafe said.

The police Imagemaker stated that the suspect was currently in police custody and that investigation was ongoing.

He quoted the Delta Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Abaniwonda, as reiterating the command’s commitment to ensure that crime in the state was reduced.

Abaniwonda said that due to the ember month period, there was a likelihood of increase in crime hence, the command had deployed police operatives across the 25 local government areas.

“The command has embark on intensive visibility patrol while constant raiding of criminal hideouts and black spots will be intensified.

“Members of the public are urged to partner with the police by providing useful, timely, and credible information that will help the police in the fight against crime and criminality,” he said. (NAN)