Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Chief Johnson Atseleghe, the Iyatsere of Warri and leader of Itsekiri in oil-rich Ologbo community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state over the missing of one Sunny Etechie.
Etechie who was allegedly taken away by boys believed to be associated with Atseleghe has not been seen since he was reportedly missing.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo confirmed the incident on phone.
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“ I can confirm to you that one Mr Johnson Atseleghe is in our custody who is being investigated over allegation of an incident that somebody is missing and the persons who were last seen with the missing man were linked to him”, the CP said.
Etechie who was the youth leader of Kolo-Kolo community was reportedly picked by some persons believed to be under the directive of Atseleghe over three weeks ago and he is assumed to have been killed.
It was gathered that the police had cordoned off the area where the missing Etechie was believed to have been last seen and few minutes later, he (suspect) was said to have reported himself to the state police command and he was taken to the anti-kidnapping unit of the command for interrogation.
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Recall a group known as Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) recently raised the alarm over alleged incessant killing, kidnapping and disappearance of people in Kolo-kolo village.
President of the group, Comrade Curtis Ugbo, who led a protest to the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 5, called on the police to hold the leader of Itsekiri people in Ologbo, Johnson Atseleghe responsible for the happenings in the area, just as he accused him of complicity in the incidences.
” We are here to register our protest on the incessant kidnap and killings of our people in Kolo-Kolo village in Ologbo Edo State. For the past three months, three prominent indigenes of Benin have been brutally killed and kidnapped by hoodlums in Ologbo village. Just three days ago, our brother and son, Mr. Sunny Etechie was kidnapped on his way to Kolo-Kolo village in Ologbo.
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” Earlier before now, Mr. Okuoemose Omorodion was killed by this same gang on the 4th of May. Till this moment, the whereabouts of Sunny Etechie is not known? We members of the Benin Solidarity Movement are calling on relevant security authorities to fish out the perpetuators of the hideous crime and bring them to book”, he said.