The Anambra Police Command has rescued a kidnap victim and arrested seven suspects in separate operations across the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Awka.
He said that the operatives also recovered a suspected stolen tricycle during the operation.
“The command also arrested five suspected members of an armed robbery syndicate and recovered suspected stolen tricycle,” he said.
According to him, in the first operation, operatives of the Anambra IGP Violent Crime Response Unit, acting on credible intelligence, arrested two suspects at Akpukpokelemu Village, Nimo, Njikoka Local Government Area.
He said that the suspects were allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a victim who was held captive for three days in a criminal hideout.
“During the period of captivity, the kidnappers allegedly withdrew a total sum of ₦7 million from the victim’s bank accounts before fleeing with his Toyota Highlander SUV,”.
The police spokesman said that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the crime and were subsequently identified by the victim.
He said that the suspects are also assisting the police with useful information toward the identification and possible arrest of other members of the syndicate at large.
The PPRO further said that in another separate operation the same operatives, acting on open-source intelligence, arrested five suspects allegedly involved in the armed robbery and snatching of a TVS tricycle.
“Following the arrest of the first suspect and the recovery of the stolen tricycle at Old Road, Nkpor, operatives subsequently apprehended four other suspected members of the robbery syndicate.
Ikenga said that the suspects and the recovered tricycle are currently in police custody, while investigation is ongoing to establish the individual roles of the suspects and apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large.
He said that the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Nnanna Ama, commended the operatives for their professionalism, intelligence-led approach and prompt response.
The CP reiterated the command’s commitment to sustained intelligence-led operations, strategic deployment of technology and coordinated operational pressure against violent crimes across the state.
(NAN)
