Police kill notorious Port Harcourt kidnap kingpin – Official

The police on Thursday announced they killed a Port Harcourt kidnap kingpin who has been on their wanted list.

The man, identified as Prosper David, was killed during a shoot-out between the police and his gang, according to a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Force Headquarters, Abuja, Jimoh Moshood.

The statement did not mention where the shoot-out took place.

It said the kidnap kingpin was killed by a police joint strike force set up by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to trace those responsible for the abduction of one Tina Bob-Manuel, a Port Harcourt-based businesswoman.

Mrs. Bob-Manuel, 58, was abducted November last year at her shop at Nvuigwe, Woji in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

The kidnappers, who disguised themselves with police uniforms and were armed with AK-47 rifles, later demanded N100 million ransom from the victim’s family.

Mr. David and his gang were said to have also been involved in armed robberies, cult-related killings, sea piracy and other violent crimes.

“The deceased gang leader has been identified after his death by some of his victims,” said Mr. Moshood, an assistant commissioner of police.

Three other suspected members of the gang – Benjamin Johnson, Anthony Joshua, and Johnson Dennis – have been arrested. They have reportedly confessed to their involvement in the criminal activities of the gang.

The police said the late kingpin was responsible for several kidnap operations in Rivers state, as well as other states in the South-east and South-south.

The police recovered one AK-47 rifle from the gang.