The Imo State Police Command has rescued a 26-year-old kidnapping victim and arrested five suspects involved in the crime.

In a statement issued on Friday in Owerri by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, it was revealed that the victim (name withheld) was abducted from her residence in Obinze, Owerri West Council Area of Imo State.

Okoye noted that the suspects were arrested through intelligence-led operations and thorough investigations, which also led to the recovery of one locally made shotgun, one pump-action gun, two live cartridges, and seven additional live rounds of ammunition.

In response to the reported incident, the Commissioner of Police promptly deployed the Command’s anti-kidnapping unit with all available operational resources and intelligence to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure the safe rescue of the victim.

Following the Commissioner’s directives and the collection of actionable intelligence, the operatives targeted a forest hideout in Avu, where the suspects were located.

During the operation, the team successfully rescued the victim unharmed and arrested five suspects, including a 40-year-old Umaru Usman from Mauree in Sokoto; Tukur Yau, 25, from Dawakinkudur in Kano State; Musbau Sabo, 18, from Warsaw LGA in Kano State; Abdul Ibrahim, 30, from Sokoto State; and Jubrin Idris, 35, from Sokoto State.

According to Okoye, the suspects were found in possession of one pump-action gun, five cartridges, two daggers, a cutlass, and various criminal charms.

ASP Okoye stated that interrogation revealed the suspects were members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate responsible for terrorizing residents in Obinze, Avu, and surrounding areas. Ongoing investigations aim to apprehend the remaining members of the gang and ensure they face the full extent of the law.

In a related development, operatives from the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested a notorious armed robber in the state.

During a routine patrol in Owerri Municipal, the operatives apprehended Nwauba Alex, a 25-year-old male from Ezza LGA, Ebonyi State. The suspect was caught in the act of robbing two residents at gunpoint near Aladinma Primary School, Owerri.

The PPRO reported that during the arrest, one locally made pistol, two rounds of live ammunition, and torchlights were recovered from the suspect, and the victims were rescued unharmed.

Upon interrogation, the suspect admitted to the robbery and revealed that he purchased the shotgun from an individual in Ezza, Ebonyi State. Efforts are underway to locate and arrest the gun manufacturers, who will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The suspect will be charged in court once the investigation is complete.

The operational breakthrough underscores the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating crime and ensuring public safety in the state.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, commended the operatives for their professionalism in achieving this operational feat and urged them to continue working diligently to reduce crime to its barest minimum in the state.

Six kidnapping and armed robbery suspects were paraded at the Imo State Police Command. (Nigerian Tribune)

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