Akwa Ibom Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olatoye Durosinmi has warned members of the public to avoid letting other persons see their bank alerts.
Durosinmi, stated this while addressing a mini press conference at the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia in Uyo Local Government Area on Friday, during the parade of three kidnappers of Vice chancellor of a private university in Akwa Ibom State.
Reacting to action of a former domestic servant of the Vice Chancellor, Prince Thursday Okon who confessed to have reported his former boss to his two gang members for kidnapping after seeing his bank alerts.
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Earlier, Okon had in an interview with journalists said he collected N500,000 share from the N8 million paid ransom.
Though there are three recognised private universities in the state, Okon allegedly connived with his two friends and kidnapped the Vice Chancellor (name withheld) on his way home.
The two friends are one Saviour Sunday Luke and one Richard Friday from Ikot Ebam Village in Mkpan Enin Local Government Area.
The Commissioner of Police advised the people to attend to their domestic chores alone without necessarily looking for house helps to avoid running into the hands of criminally minded ones.
According to him, ‘‘On the 14th of April 2023, at about 10:30am, the Vice chancellor of a private University in the State was kidnapped on his way home.
‘‘Two days later, being the 16th, in a prompt and discreet investigation, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Command, arrested one Prince Thursday Okon, a former domestic staff who was sacked because of his criminal tendencies. He masterminded the kidnapping with two of his gang members, Saviour Sunday Luke and Richard Friday, all of Ikot Ebam Village in Mkpan Enin LGA.
‘‘The sum of one million, two hundred and seventy thousand naira cash was recovered as part of the ransom paid, while Two Hundred and Fifty thousand naira was left in one of the Suspect’s account. The Toyota Corolla used for the operation was also recovered. The VC has been reunited with his family.’’
In another interview with journalists, one Saviour Sunday Luke, another suspect, said after the gang had collected N8 million from the victim, they drove and stopped him at Primary School, Ikot Ebak in Mkpat Enin.
‘‘I collected N800,000 as my share from the N8 million ransom paid to us. Before now, I had launched an attack on an unknown person in Port Harcourt and made away with his Toyota Corolla which I drove to Akwa Ibom State. We used the vehicle to kidnap our victim,’’ he added.
