The Police Intelligence Response Team have have neutralized a high profile Militant General and kidnapping kingpin in a gun battle in Port Harcourt and fatally injured him as he attempted to evade arrest.
Prosper David, the Militant General according to the IRT is the mastermind of the kidnapping of Mrs. Tina Bob-Manuel on the 22nd November 2017.
The Militant General according to a police statement, initially embraced the federal government’s Amnesty programme but later broke out and formed a kidnapping gang in Port Harcourt.
The Police said, “In follow up to the kidnapping of Mrs Tina Bob-Manuel, on 21 February 2018 at about 1045am, IRT operatives traced the kingpin, one Prosper David a ‘Militant General who embraced the federal Government Amnesty program but Later formed a kidnapping gang, to Bayelsa State were he was fatally injured during gun battle with operatives of the IGP-Intelligence Response Team IRT deployed to Port-Harcourt by IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris to fight kidnapping and other violent crimes.
“IRT operatives have been on his trail for long time after he masterminded the kidnap of Mrs Tina Bob-Manuel on 22nd November 2017 in her shop located at No.107 Nvuigwe Road Woji Port-Harcourt and several other kidnappings.
“Suspect went underground after the collection of ransom in two installments and when he sensed that the Police are closing in on him, he dropped his contact number known to his personal driver that was earlier arrested by the Police and relocated his family from Victory Estate Azikoro, Yenagoa in December 2017 to the Creek, all in a bid to avoid arrest.
“After about 90-days of painstaking intelligence gathering with Technical Assistance Support from TIU, suspect was tracked to Asiri area of Yenagoa Bayelsa state to his new rented apartment.
“On sighting the operatives, he ran into his apartment ceiling from where he engaged the operatives but was neutralized and fatally injured.
“Suspects arrested for the kidnappings are, Johnson Denis driver to the kidnap kingpin and the Militant General. Exhibit recovered incude one of the victims phone.
Prosper David (Deceased) kidnap and Sea Piracy Kingpin and “Militant General”.
“Exhibits recovered from him include: One AK47 Riffle, 1 magazine, 26 rounds of live ammunition, 4 expended Ammunition and a Nokia phone belonging to his kidnap victim with which ransom negotiation was done.
Benjamin Johnson and Anthony Joshua are 2 more gang members of the Port Harcourt kidnap Kingpin who were also arrested between 21/2/18 and 14/3/18.
The IRT added that serious efforts are in top gear to arrest other gang members and recovery of more arms.
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