The family of Sylvester Ovwori Inerhi of Evwreni community in Ughelli North local government area, Delta State, has raised the alarm over alleged kidnap of their son and brother for over one week and is still missing.
In a two paged petition addressed to the Area Commander, Delta Central Area Command, Nigeria Police Force, Ughelli, the family is pointing accusing fingers to six individuals, four named and two unknown, for the criminal act.
The petition is entitled “Complaint of Kidnapping of Silvester Ovwori Inerhi of Evwreni by Unagha Oghenekevwe and her Cohorts, namely Winners Ayovwe, Oke Iwhreko, Avwerosuoghene Wine and other two unknown persons. Request for Police Intervention”, and signed on behalf of the family by Alex Amusi Esq for Alex Amusi & Co Law Firm, Ughelli.
The petition reads, “We the solicitors to the family of Sylvester Ovwori Inerhi of Evwreni community in Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, represented by Miss Ejiroghene Inerhi, who is hereinafter referred to as our client and upon whose firm and definite instructions we hereby petition your esteem office to lodge the above captioned complaint”.
“Our client reliably informed us that on the 6th day of May 2021, she received a text message and a phone call from her younger brother that he was kidnapped by Unagha Oghenekevwe and her cohorts, namely Winners Ayovwe, Oke Iwhreko, Avwerosuoghene Wine and other two unknown persons and they kept him in Unagha Oghenekevwe’s compound or building somewhere in Ukpaka town in Udu local government area of Delta State. All efforts to reach him by our client and other family members proved abortive”.
Continuing “Our client further informed us that early this morning (7th May 2021), she received a private call from an unknown caller telling our client to bring a ransom of ten million naira and give to Unagha Oghenekevwe if she want her brother to be released”.
“It is against the above backdrop that our client has passed specific instructions to our law office to lodge the above captioned complaints to request that you should use your good offices to carry out investigation into our client complaints”, the family stated in the petition.
Meanwhile, there has been a twist to the matter as the said missing Silvester Ovwori Inerhi is alleged to be in police custody at GRA Police Station, Asaba, on orders from Abuja.
“When these people learnt that Sylvester had reached out to the family, informing them of the identities of those that abducted him and the address, they quickly moved him to Asaba. He is presently being detained at GRA Police Station. When inquire on why he was being held at the station were made, they simply said it was an order from Abuja. Who gave such order and on what ground an earlier kidnapped victim is being detained by the police, we don’t know. The DPO even claimed he was not even aware who brought him to the station”, our source stated.
When contacted, the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Delta State Command, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed that Sylvester was in custody of the GRA police station, Asaba, on the orders of IRT, Abuja, but did not give further details.