Police Declare Niger Delta Avengers Members Wanted for Kidnapping, Maiming

Ifeanyi Johnson

Operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have declared some leaders of the Niger Delta Avengers members wanted over kidnapping and maiming of innocent citizens.

They were declared wanted after the abduction and torturing of some of their member who deserted their camp in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State in the Niger Delta region, and some workers of some oil companies in the region.

The state Police Command made the declaration in a statement made available to journalists by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mike Ochie.

Ochie said: “Sequel to several reports of threat received by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources (NDPR) as well the abduction of some of their members who deserted their camp by the Amalgamated Niger Delta Avengers, the police operatives went into action and arrested two principal members while others are still at large.

When journalists encountered some of their members who escaped from their camp, they complained of highhandedness and forceful participation in the activities of the militant group. However, they refused to declare their identities for fear of the safety family members, stating that they just want to live as normal citizens.

However, one of them, who was bold enough to speak to the media through telephone, Mr. Emmanuel Newton Onyeoghani, stated that he was a taxi driver in the area, but was conscripted into the group in order to blossom its capacity to continue their illegal activities as well as confront the security agents in the area.

He said they were force to join the group in Udu LGA of Delta State to commit various crimes, including oil bunkering and fighting with the police.

Onyeoghani, disclosed that he had run away to his home town in Owa, where his family resides, but that the militants came and abducted him in order not to expose them, and in the process, one of his sons was killed.

According to him, “The leader declared me wanted because he felt my running away may lead to their calamity if I expose the illegal activities of the group. I had fled to my home town in Ika North East Local Government Area for safety. One fateful morning, as I was taking my children to school in Boji Boji Owa, some strange men abducted me with my son and tortured me to return to the camp…the leader of the group ordered them to kill my son, and detained me in the their dungeon.”

He said he was traumatised after being beaten and injured severely, adding that they threatened to kill him if he tries to escape again.

On how he escaped from the camp, the taxi driver claimed that one day, “I went to a mechanic to fix one of the cars, and I had no other choice than to escape for my dear life. And since then, I have been hiding, and I have not been able to see my family members, just like my fellow abductees complained too.”

The police said many innocent citizens have been kidnapped, maimed and even killed. The Police spokesperson noted that those arrested would be remanded in the police custody until others at large have been caught to face the law.

“Effort is still on going to arrest the remaining accomplices at large, and recover arms, ammunition and explosives which the group has been using to commit atrocities,” PPRO Ochei said.

The criminal activities of the militant group have gone on for a very long time unchecked. The state police commissioner has vowed that the group members would not be allowed to have a field day committing crimes without being checked.