The Delta State Police Command has apprehended Nelson Eserada, who allegedly staged his kidnapping, and his accomplice, Jerry Lawrence. SP Bright Edafe, the Command’s spokesperson, disclosed this on Thursday during an interview in Asaba.

Edafe explained that Eserada and Lawrence contacted Eserada’s parents, demanding a ransom of N50 million in Bitcoin. “Following a complaint from Nelson Eserada's father at Abraka Division about his son's kidnapping and the ransom demand, the DPO Abraka SP Fabian Ayameh promptly initiated a technical intelligence-led investigation," Edafe said. "On June 10, 2024, Jerry Lawrence of Jeddo Community, Warri, was arrested in connection with the crime."

The investigation revealed that Eserada, a 400-level Banking & Finance student at Delta State University, Abraka, conspired with Lawrence. Eserada’s father had already paid N5.2 million in ransom through a Bitcoin account linked to Lawrence. The suspects are currently in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.

In related news, the command arrested eight suspected armed robbers who had been terrorizing the Asaba metropolis. The police took action following complaints from residents in Bonsaac, Okwe, and other areas.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi, assigned a new DPO to ‘B’ Division, Asaba, with a mandate to identify and arrest those responsible,” Edafe said. “On May 8, 2024, the newly posted DPO, CSP Edewor Akponegware, received credible information about suspicious-looking individuals around the Mango Tree Market, who were armed. The DPO led patrol teams to the scene, resulting in the arrest of John Dalami (25), Musa Suleiman (25), Abdullahi Jibril (20), Solomon Uchechukwu (24), Yusuf Joda (21), Egboka Chukwu Charles (21), and Wisdom Sylvester (21).”

A search at the scene recovered a Bagco bag containing a locally made cut-to-size gun and one live cartridge. The suspects confessed to being involved in a series of house-to-house armed robbery operations in the Issele-Asagba, Coka, and Ibusa areas. Following these confessions, the special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime squad conducted a raid at the suspects' hideout near DDPA estate Asaba, resulting in six additional arrests and the recovery of three locally-made cut-to-size guns.