Five individuals have been arrested while 5,500 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) were seized by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Oguta, Imo State.
The NSCDC Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad carried out the operation.
In a statement posted on the official Facebook page of the security agency on Saturday, it disclosed that the operation was conducted by the NSCDC Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad.
Seized diesel containers and four saloon cars impounded during the operation were also displayed.
“The Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG SIS) arrested five suspects, impounded four saloon cars, and confiscated about 5,500 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO being transported to Onitsha from Obah Agwa autonomous community Oguta, Imo State,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the abducted parish priest of Saint Michael’s Catholic Church in the Umuekebi community in the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, Reverend Fr Kingsley Eze, also known as Father Ichie, and his driver, Uchenna Newman, have regained their freedom.
Gunmen had on Thursday last week kidnapped the cleric and his driver when they alighted from a Volvo jeep to purchase at Orieama junction around 8 pm.
It was gathered on Friday that the kidnapped victims returned home unharmed.
“I can now confirm that the Reverend Father and the driver have been released after a ransom of N500,000 was paid yesterday around Umucheke Okwe in the Onuimo LGA,” a source said.
Another source, an indigene of the Umuekebi community added,
“It is true, the priest and Mr Uchenna have been released. They are back home. The vehicle they were kidnapped in was tolled from the Okigwe area. We thank God that they are home.”
Earlier, the kidnappers had on Sunday and Monday contacted the wife of the driver and demanded a N50 million ransom for the release of the duo. They later called and reduced the price tag to N10m.