Some suspected kidnappers terrorizing Nigeria’s oil-rich state of Rivers have been apprehended, the police in the state have said.
The suspects were arrested in a midnight raid on the den of the notorious kidnappers in Emuoha Local Government Area of the state.
The police also disclosed that one suspect was killed during the operation.
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The state Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, made the disclosure at a press conference in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Nwonyi described the suspect as a member of a gang that abducted and killed Justice Azundah said to be the Chief Protocol Officer of the former Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House.
He said before killing Azundah, the suspect received N2m as ransom through a bank transaction from his family.
He added that following credible intelligence, men of the command raided the suspects’ camp on July 20, 2023, injuring many of the criminals who managed to flee with bullet wounds.
He said, “Operatives of the C4i Intelligence Unit while acting on intelligent-led policing and a follow-up in a case of kidnapping/murder, arrested one suspect that ran away to Magboro community in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State in connection with the kidnap and murder of late Justice Azundah.
“He was the Protocol Officer to the Chief of Staff to the former Governor of Rivers State from Isiodu Community in the Emohua Local Government Area of the state.”
The police boss said one pump action rifle with a bag containing 22 rounds of live cartridges was recovered from the scene.
“Investigation is still in progress as every effort to recover other operational weapons and arrest of the fleeing suspects is ongoing,” he said.
Nwonyi noted that on Thursday, operatives of the command invaded another kidnappers’ camp in the Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state where the criminals, upon sighting the policemen, opened fire.
He said in the ensuing gun duel, one of the suspects was killed while others escaped.
He added that one AK47 rifle with breech number 549168 and five magazines loaded with 51 rounds of live ammunition, three live cartridges, one live GPMG ammunition, and some assorted charms were recovered from them.
