The Rivers State Police Command has busted a kidnapping syndicate and arrested five suspects in the Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson of the command, Blessing Agabe, made this known in a statement on Thursday.
Agabe explained that the suspects were nabbed during a coordinated operation by operatives in the area, adding that they confessed to the abduction during interrogation, and also admitted to terrorising residents of the local government and its environs.
“The suspects are Ezekiel Emmanuel (male, 44 years) from Benue State, Chukwuma Mbanefor (male, 51 years) from Anambra State, Nicholas Diala (male, 65 years) from Imo State, Ndubuisi Uwakwe (male, 49 years) from Abia State and Ifeanyi Nwakwo (male, 51 years) from Imo State.
“In the course of investigation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the kidnapping and further admitted to participating in several kidnapping operations within the Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities,” the statement read.
According to the command, efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the criminal syndicate.
Commenting on the arrest, Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju, said the success of the operation reflects the implementation of the operational directives and intelligence-driven policing strategy of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu.
Adepoju reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the command in sustaining aggressive intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other violent crimes across the state.
He warned that there would be no haven for kidnappers or other criminal elements, as the command will relentlessly pursue, arrest and ensure they are identified, arrested and brought to justice.
The commissioner assured residents that the command remains steadfast in its resolve to protect lives and property, and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to provide credible and timely information to assist the police in preventing crime and apprehending criminal elements.
