Commissioner of the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mustapha Dandaura (centre) during the parade of the criminals

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Barely a week after resumption of office as Commissioner of the Rivers state Police Command,  Mustapha Dandaura has paraded 15 suspects allegedly involved in various crimes ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery and carjacking  in Port Harcourt.

While parading members of the syndicate who allegedly specialized in kidnapping at Police headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Commissioner said the State Police command has taken the fight against crime to criminal hideouts along the East-West Road.

Other areas he listed as being under the focus of police include Rumuigbo, Eliozu, Choba, Etche and Akpajo in Eleme local Government area where attacks by hoodlums have become a daily affair.

The Commissioner of Police said the Command is poised to tackle crimes headlong and promised to bring the wave of crime to the barest minimum.

Among  the suspects who confessed to the beheading and kidnapping along the East-West Road is  a 25-year-old suspected notorius criminal,  Joshua Edet, A.K.A ‘Axes’ from Akwa Ibom state.

He claimed that he was introduced into crime following a divorce between his father and mother as he had to fend for his helpless mother, a girlfriend and seven siblings who he claimed have all deserted him now.

Edet who told Journalists that he ventured into crime in 2011 and has lost count of the number of persons he and his gang have killed, said he began the killing spree as far back as 2011 and confessed to have killed countless number of persons, including women after raping some of them.

Regrettably, he said he  has not achieved really much since crime is not profitable.

He explained that the sharing formulas for criminals are usually not sufficient which is what pushes them to keep going on and on non-stop.

He revealed the name of his boss as one Justice Amadi A.K.A Italian, who he claims resides and operates from Okirika LGA part of the State.

He further claimed that he works with some security operatives around the Bori camp and Rumokoro who ensures that weapons used for each operation are provided and who usually gives him cover to beat security check points along the East-West road on a daily basis.

Edet promised to turn a new leaf if given another chance to mend his ways. He urged families of those he has offended to forgive him and also pleaded for mercy from families he killed.

He explained that his gang member engaged in a high profile kidnap of a Paramount Ruler from Emuoha last week and collected a ransom of N7 million but was given a paltry sum of N50,000 for efforts.

Recall that the wife of the paramount Ruler of Rundele, Dr Nnenadi Omeodu, had confirmed to some journalists last week that her husband was released after paying undisclosed millions of naira to kidnappers.

Other criminal gangs paraded said they specialized in carjacking and were able to snatch four cars in four months from victims.

The leader of the gang said they were not responsible for the other cars recovered by the police, while another 3-man gang confessed using a member of the gang to rob their boss and inflicted machetes wounds on him and also stole his car.

According to the suspect, he said ”after we finish to beat am na only N100,000 we see for him house so we come collect him motor before police catch us for Rumuola.”

Another four man gang led by a suspect identified as Gift Charles said luck ran out on them after he and his gang robbed residents of Elele,  but they could not  escape as police engaged them in gun battle and killed one of their members

Two among the suspects who engaged police in gun battle were shot dead and a cache of arms recovered from the criminals, including the gang leader who masterminded the kidnap of the  Eze Edison Omeodu.