POLICE ARREST 14 SUSPECTED KIDNAPPERS IN ENUGU, RECOVER ARMS AND AMMUNITION
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The Enugu State Police Command has announced the arrest of 14 suspected kidnappers following a series of intelligence-driven operations that led to the disruption of major kidnapping syndicates operating across the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, disclosed this during a press briefing in Enugu on Friday, where he highlighted the command’s recent successes in tackling organised kidnapping activities.
According to Giwa, the operations also resulted in the recovery of several weapons and ammunition, including five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns and one locally fabricated firearm.
The police commissioner added that operatives recovered 310 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight live cartridges and seven empty AK-47 magazines.
He said that in separate joint operations, recently, security operatives rescued kidnap victims at Ogbozara Community in Nsukka LGA and Owukpa Community in Ogbadibo LGA of Benue, with several exhibits of recovered items, including live ammunition.
According to him, one of the victims abducted in a Church at Inoyi, Affa Community in Udi LGA, was rescued on Aug. 2.
“A joint, intelligence-led operation subsequently led to the rescue of the remaining two victims, the arrest of three suspects, the neutralising of one suspect, and the recovery of ransom money, firearms, ammunition and other incriminating exhibits.
Further intelligence-led operations by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Violent Crime Response Unit led to the arrest of two additional male suspects linked to the Affa Church kidnap.
“The duo, who fled to Port Harcourt, following the operational pressure mounted by joint security operatives, were traced and arrested in Port Harcourt and brought back to Enugu.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that after fleeing Enugu, the suspects regrouped with their cohorts in Port Harcourt and abducted another victim, who was released after a ₦5 million ransom was paid,” he said.
The commissioner further said that in a sustained offensive against kidnapping and other violent crimes, 12 additional suspects were earlier arrested through human and technical intelligence-led operations conducted in different parts of the country.
He said that the suspects were arrested at different times in June, July and August 2026 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Kwara and Taraba States.
Giwa said that investigation revealed that the suspects were members of an organised criminal network operating from different parts of the country.
He explained that they usually converged on Enugu State to plan and execute kidnap operations before returning to their respective locations.
He said that the network was aided by an Enugu-based member, who operates a tricycle and provides transportation for the gang members, their firearms and other criminal implements to and fro operational locations.
The state police boss said that another Enugu-based member provided intelligence that enabled the gang to evade security surveillance and identified suitable targets and locations.
“The suspects have, during interrogation, confessed to their involvement in several recent and past kidnap incidents across Enugu State, including along Enugu–Ugwuogo–Opi–Nsukka Road; Obioma–9th Mile–Umulumgbe–Okpatu Road; Eke–Affa–Egede–Ezinze axis; and various locations in Ezeagu LGA,” he said.
He further explained that ”preliminary investigation has linked the suspects to many armed kidnap, including the abduction of a male victim at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu LGA, on May 25, during which ₦5.5 million was obtained as ransom.
Others, he said, included the abduction of two male victims and the shooting to death of a female victim at Obioma, Udi LGA, on May 9 during which the gang obtained 28,000 US Dollars as ransom.
The rest was the kidnap of seven victims at Obinaofia, Ezeagu LGA, on April 12, during which ₦25 million was obtained as ransom as well as other kidnap incidents and ransom payments, which the suspects disclosed during interrogation,” Giwa said.
He also said that the suspects laundered and concealed proceeds of their criminal activities through investments in livestock and different property, lavish spending and other conspicuous consumption lifestyles as well as leisure and overseas trips.
He said that investigations would establish the suspects’ involvement in other kidnap and violent-crime incidents within and outside the state, identify and arrest other members of the syndicate, and recover additional firearms, ammunition.
“The command will also recover other criminal proceeds and, finally, after the extensive investigations they will be charged to court in accordance with extant laws,” Giwa said.
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