The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday paraded six
suspects, including a dismissed Police Constable, in connection with the
kidnap of Nkiru Sylvanus, the Senior Special Assistant to Imo Gov.
Rochas Okorocha.Marilyn Ogar, the Deputy Director, Public Relations of the service, paraded the suspects at a joint news conference with the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba.
Ogar said that three other suspects in connection with the kidnap had been arrested by the police.
She said that Sylvanus, who was kidnapped by gunmen on Dec. 15, 2012, was released on Dec. 21 after the payment of N8 million.
Ogar named the six suspects as Ndidi Cletus, 30; dismissed Police Constable Stanley Asonna, 27; Aminus Musa, 40; Mohammed Abubbakar, 34; Obinna Okwuolisa, 30; and Samson Onwuka, 24.
She said the suspects kidnapped the governor’s aid and kept her in a bush at Avu junction in Owerri, for six days.
Ogar said that all the suspects had made confessions and would be handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
She said that Cletus confessed to being the leader of the nine-man gang, who kidnapped Sylvanus, adding that at the time of his arrest, N3.4 million was recovered from him.
Mba confirmed that Cletus, a constable attached to MOPOL 19, Port Harcourt, was dismissed from service on July 19, 2010 after being implicated in the kidnap of three oil workers in Imo.
He said this was contrary to the claim in his confession to the DSS that he was dismissed in 2004 for absenting himself from duty for 21 days without permission, on grounds of ill health.
Mba said that investigation into the kidnap of the oil workers showed that the suspect provided the tactical and operational guidelines to the gang who committed the act.