''My Son Kelvin Ibruvwe Is A Freedom Fighter And Not A Kidnapper'' – Father Of Most Wanted Kidnap Kingpin Cries Out

Mr Duke Ibruvwe, the fugitive father of suspected Delta State kidnap kingpin, Kelvin Ibruvwe, nabbed September 25 by a combined team of soldiers and Department of State Services, DSS,  in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has said that his son was neither a kidnap kingpin nor an armed robber, but a freedom fighter.

In an affidavit in support of originating application before a Federal High Court, Abuja, by his son and co-suspect, Frank Azuekor, seeking an order for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights, he said: “Twenty-four hours after the arrest of the applicants, reports were made in several national dailies wherein the applicants were labelled as robbers and kidnappers.

“The applicants are not robbers, neither are they kidnappers, but are sincere liberators and freedom fighters, who are struggling for the improvement of the standard of living of the impoverished people of Urhobo-land and for the future of the unborn generations of the Urhobo people.”

He said his son did not commit any offence known to law for crying for the liberation of his people from poverty, saying, 

“The applicants are innocent citizens, without any criminal record and have not been arrested or convicted for any crime. The applicants were arrested and are currently in detention for an offence they do not know.”

Kelvin’s father said his country home, Kokori in Ethiope-East Local Government Area, was host of several flow stations and oil wells, belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company and other multi-national oil companies, stressing, “the only land owned by my father, who is the grandfather of the FirsttApplicant, was taken over by Shell Petroleum Development Company for the purpose of oil exploration and the said location is currently known as Kokori/Ehrioke Oil field.”