…How victim was kidnapped, N6m, $1,000 ransom paid
…Three others arrested
An alleged notorious kidnapper and vicious militant, Prosper David alias ‘Militant General’ was on Wednesday killed by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
He was killed during a gun battle with the operatives at his hideout in a creek in Bayelsa State. An AK47 riffle, a magazine, 26 rounds of live ammunition, four expended ammunition and one Nokia phone belonging to his kidnap victim with which Ransom negotiation was done were recovered.
Although the kingpin had earlier surrendered arms and enrolled into the federal government’s amnesty programme, it was gathered that he was running a militant group underground and usually collected between N1 million and N2million from each vessel passing through Nembe creek to the high seas.
The police also arrested three suspects including the kingpin’s driver, Johnson Denis, who had one of the kingpin’s phones, Benjamin Johnson and Anthony Joshua between February 21 and Wednesday.
It was gathered that the police had trailed the kingpin since December last year following the kidnap of a businesswoman, Tina Bob-Manuel.
According to the police, Militant General and his gang kidnapped the woman on November 22, at her shop located at 107, Nvuigwe Road, Woji, in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
They were said to have gone there in an ash Honda Pilot vehicle around 1:30pm in police uniform and kidnapped her.
It was gathered that the kidnappers collected N6million and $1,000 ransom in two installments before they released the victim on February 21, at Odua Local Government Area.
It was gathered that the woman’s family first paid N2million and $1,000 on December 1, but with the refusal of the kidnappers to release her, another N4million was paid them on December 14.
With the release of the victim, it was gathered that the police swooped on the kingpin’s driver, through the telephone inside his Highlander Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
He was arrested and he led detectives to ‘Militant General’s’ residence at Victory Estate, Azikoro in Yenagoa last December, but the kingpin, it was gathered, had moved his family and went underground.
Confirming the incident, police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, an Assistant Commissioner (ACP) said: “After about 90 days of painstaking intelligence gathering with assistance from Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU), the suspect was traced to his rented apartment at Asiri in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. “On sighting the police, he ran into the ceiling from where he engaged the operatives but was neutralised and fatally injured. Serious efforts are in top gear to arrest other gang members and recovery of more arms.”
However, the driver denied knowing ‘Militant General’ was a kidnapper, claiming that he never followed them for the operation.
According to him, the kingpin paid him N30,000 per month, adding that he usually drove him from Bayelsa to Port Harcourt.
Johnson said: “I never knew he was into kidnapping. I used to drive his kids to school and I usually took him to Port Harcourt from Bayelsa. Each time we got to Port Harcourt, he would ask me to take the car back to Bayelsa. He has other drivers who drove him in Port Harcourt.
“So, on that day, when we got to Port Harcourt, he put me in a hotel and gave me N5,000. He took the jeep away and told me that someone would bring it the next day. Around 1:30pm the next day, a man brought the vehicle and I left for Bayelsa.
“On my way, I picked two ladies at University of Port Harcourt Gate. I used to do that whenever I dropped my boss so I can raise small money for upkeep. One of the women dropped on the way and while I was still with the second one, I had a flat tyre. We exchanged numbers and while I was trying to get the tyre fixed, I discovered the lady had put her simcard inside my boss’ phone she saw in the car. She said her battery was low and she needed to make a call.”
