Kokori ‘invasion’: How most wanted kidnapper breached security
KOKORI, one of the six sub-urban ‘states’ of Agbon kingdom in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State with a population of between 50,000 and 100,000 persons, occupying about 196 square kilometres, has been in the news lately for a wrong cause.
For more than a year, the Delta State Police Command, had declared Kelvin Ibruvwe, wanted. The police described him as the “most wanted kidnapper and robbery kingpin” in Delta State. And since he was declared wanted, Kelvin, who, lately, wants to be identified as a freedom fighter, has remained mysterious to the police and other security agencies in the state.
After the March incident in which the suspect, who is on the wanted list, allegedly ambushed a Nigeria Prisons Service, NPS, Hilux van, conveying suspects to Warri, and shot dead three warders in an audacious
attempt to rescue his gang members awaiting trial, he became a top priority suspect in security circle in the state.
Because of the perceived information that he is “powerful” and has commercial motor-cyclists in his area, who pass information to him on would-be victims and movement of security agents, on his payroll, the state government, some months ago, banned commercial motor-cycle transportation in Kokori and other parts of Ethiope-East Local Government, just like it had been banned in Warri, Effurun, Asaba and other parts of the state.
The police raided Kokori last April, and demolished a family home of Kelvin, suspected to be the operational headquarters of his kidnap gang.
Support to security agencies
The police also arrested more than 50 persons in a bid to track him down, but he seemed not deterred. Kelvin is not only wanted for kidnap cases, which are legion in the state, but for also killing soldiers and police.
DeltaState government is giving all vital support to security agencies in the state to track down Kelvin. The governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, had invited leaders from Kokori, some months ago, for discussion on how to fish out the kidnap kingpin, but everybody kept sealed lips. Indeed, the fear of Kelvin is the beginning of wisdom in Kokori. Nobody crosses his path and goes free. He is the defacto ruler of Kokori. The traditional ruler was allegedly kidnapped by the gang and tortured, after which, he sees no evil, and hears no evil about the gang.
Nobody dares to speak or act openly against Kelvin in Kokori. Those who did in the past, including one ‘Oyibo’, regretted their actions. For some months, both the police and army have been in a massive manhunt for him. In fact, his group was said to have been confronted by soldiers and policemen in outskirts of Isiokolo, the headquarters of his local government the day he ambushed prison warders in Warri.
Some of his men were injured in the bloody battle, but he escaped, just as he had on some occasions in the past. Sometime ago, he was even apprehended by men of the Joint Task Force, JTF at about 7.00 pm at the boundary between Isiokolo and Kokori. He was arrested in an ambulance and handcuffed to a patrol pick up van.
However, his boys on getting the information mobilized and came to his rescue. Some persons, including a soldier were killed in the inevitable gun battle that followed. He was rescued. Police believe he has powerful charm to protect him and some confessed secretly that they do not want to be deployed in any battle with Kelvin because his gang is armed to the teeth with superior weapons.
Kelvin was said to have a stronghold in Ibadan, and Port-Harcourt and frequents Lagos and the South-East. The report that he also hibernates in a hotel belonging to a top politician in the state has not been confirmed. DeltaState Police Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who received a call one day from Kelvin, pleading for amnesty, between February and March, thought the boy was serious and even notified the Inspector General of Police, but few days after, he allegedly led the Warri Prisons warders’ attack.
What, however, stupefied Deltans is that that suspect, who is on the wanted list, could appear boldly in his community, where he is supposed to be under watch, and address the people for more than one hour without challenge by security agencies. According to our source, “The most dreaded kidnap kingpin, Kelvin, last week Tuesday, appeared in his Kokori home town amidst cheers by over 3000 women and youths. Kelvin, at about 5.00 pm, addressed the press in the presence of kin, fully armed to teeth in anticipation of any altercation from security agents.
“All through the period where Kelvin demanded among other things for amnesty under aegis of the Liberation Movement of the Urhobo People, LIMUP, there was no interference from security agents.”
When Vanguard spoke with Commissioner Aduba some hours after Kelvin’s power game on Wednesday on phone, he said it was not true that the most wanted kidnapper, who police were looking for everywhere, could appear just like that to address the people. His words, “As far as I am concerned, Kelvin has been declared wanted by the security forces in DeltaState. It is inconceivable that an event of such magnitude will take place in Kokori and the police will not get wind of it. The DPO in charge of the area says nothing of such took place. I am of the opinion that the event was stage-managed by some elements using the media.
“Why did the media, who were present at the event, not alert the police of the event. Is it not a criminal offence to aid and abet a criminal?
In Kokori community, we have a detachment of police and army, yet we are told Kelvin addressed a news conference. The conference was held with some women supporting members of the kidnap group, they even allowed their photographs to be taken.”. One of the journalists who attended the conference told Vanguard, weekend, “I do not know what makes Aduba think that if a journalist is invited for an event, he would call him to brief him about where he is going to and who.
Moreover, the fact that his men and soldiers are not aware or choose not to be aware of the press conference does not mean that the event did not happen. He should get his facts right as a police chief before speaking.”
Breaching of security
A source hinted that the issue of Kelvin was discussed at the last State Security Council meeting held in Oghara and some of the security chiefs maintained that Kelvin did not resurface as reported by the media. Some security chiefs were reportedly unhappy with the extreme positions of their colleagues, who did not want to accept the truth that a wanted criminal barefacedly breached security and appeared in his hometown, which was under watch.
A reliable source said the security men were compromised, adding, ‘That was why Kelvin was able to enter Kokori, did all he did and left without him being arrested. There are soldiers and policemen in Kokori area, they cannot say they are not aware of the incident.”
It was gathered that with what appears to be compromise of the security team on ground in Kokori area, security chiefs, who are working out fresh measures to protect oil installations in the area, following the 60-day ultimatum by LIMUP, were also planning a shake-up of their operational squads.
