Rivers State Police Commissioner Francis Odesanya has handed over a vessel recovered within the state’s water channel to the owner.
The vessel, Count Fleet, was reportedly stolen from its crew members by pirates last November.
It was, however, recovered by the Navy a few months ago and handed over to officials of the Marine Police for due process and hand over to the owner.
Odesanya handed over the ship to the owner, Ifeanyi Ajufor Ifeanyi, at a brief ceremony at the Abonnema Wharf in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Addressing reporters after receiving the keys, Ifeanyi narrated how the vessel became missing: “This vessel was hired by a woman last November, but the captain and other crew members ran into pirates, who after robbing the vessel and its crew, stole it.
“But the crew members escaped and ran to the Navy who saved them. The naval officers have been looking for the vessel since then. The ship was recovered a few months ago. We have been processing the handover, which we complete today.”(yesterday).
He thanked the Navy and the Police for their efforts.
The command paraded a female student of Imo State University for allegedly arranging her kidnap, to extort money from her family.
The suspect, who gave her name to the police as Chinwendu Udensi, however, told reporters that she is Miss Jennet Okoro. She said she is from Imo State.
Also paraded were the three men that perfected the plan. Thirty-three other suspects were also paraded for offences ranging from cultism to robbery, car snatching, kidnapping, among others.
The police commissioner said Miss Udensi plotted her kidnap and demanded N6 million ransom from her parents.
He said she was, however, exposed when she sent one of her accomplices to pick the ransom on Obiri Ikerre flyover at Obio/Akpor.
Odesanya said: “On November 6 about 4pm, Chinwendu Udensi, a female student of Imo State University, was kidnapped by gunmen in Imo State.
“The kidnappers called and demanded N6million ransom. Men of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit led by Ben Igweh set a bait for them and as they went to pick the money on Obiri Ikwerre flyover in company of the victim, they were arrested.
“It was later discovered that the victim connived with them and arranged her kidnap to extort money from her parents.”
In an interview with reporters, the suspect, who claimed to be a student of of Abia State University, Uturu Okigwe in Abia State admitted the crime.
She said she did it to get money from her wealthy but stingy father.
Her words: “Nothing much happened. I wanted to collect money from my family, so I faked my kidnap. I did it to continue my schooling.”
Asked if her parents did not take care of her, she answered in the affirmative.
Regretting her action, Chinwendu said: “I’m not happy about my present condition because I never thought it will be like this.
“I sincerely apologise to my family for the trauma I might have caused them in a bid to extort money from them for my project and other requirements. To my friends out there, my advice is that they should not involve themselves in such a crime.”
Also paraded was the suspected killer of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Port Harcourt.
The suspect, Jon Ihejekwu, a dealer in Almaco doors and windows, said his gang killed the police officer for attempting to prevent them from escaping with a stolen vehicle.
The police boss said 25 suspected kidnappers have been arraigned.