Officers of the Ebonyi State Police Command have arrested four kidnappers and recovered five stolen vehicles from the hoodlums in a sustained clampdown on criminal gangs in the state.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, said that operatives of its Anti-Kidnapping Squad stormed a hideout at Nwagana Guest House, Umuhuali, Ishielu local government area, following credible intelligence reports where two suspects, Chinedu Okorie and Okpaga Chibueze, were arrested at the scene, while a Lexus car with registration number LSR 895 DB was recb overed.
He noted that the suspects’ confessions led operatives to Abuja, where two other members of the syndicate, Stanley Benson Agada and Joshua Noah Olatunji, were apprehended.
“The operation also resulted in the recovery of four additional stolen vehicles including Toyota Corolla (KWL 141 CE), Toyota Highlander Jeep (LSD 589 JX), Toyota Venza (LXR 272 JH) and Toyota Sienna Bus (RSH 196 DF).
SP Ukandu said that the rightful owners of the recovered vehicles, who had earlier been victims of kidnapping, have since identified their property and will reclaim them after due process.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Adaku Uche-Anya, commended the operatives for the successful operation and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to rid the state of criminal elements and restore enduring peace and security.
She urged members of the public to continue to support the Police with timely and actionable intelligence, assuring that the arrested suspects would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations while efforts are underway to track down fleeing gang members.