Abia Police Arrest Suspected Kidnapper, Rescue Victim, Recover ₦830,000 Ransom.

Abia Police Arrest Suspected Kidnapper, Rescue Victim, Recover ₦830,000 Ransom.

The Abia State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, rescued an abducted victim and recovered the sum of ₦830,000 allegedly collected as ransom from the victim’s family.

The Command disclosed this in a press release issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka.

According to the statement, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), acting on actionable intelligence, stormed the Ogwashi Forest in Old Umuahia, suspected to be a hideout for kidnappers operating in the area.

The police said the operatives engaged the suspected kidnappers in a gun duel during the operation, forcing the criminals to flee due to what the Command described as the superior firepower of the officers.

The statement identified the arrested suspect as 42-year-old Ibrahim Audu, while the rescued victim was identified as Onyebuchi Nwaoha, 46, of Old Umuahia.

Police further disclosed that the sum of ₦830,000, reportedly paid as ransom by the victim’s family, was recovered during the operation.

The Command noted that investigation is ongoing, adding that efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the gang who escaped from the scene.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Abia State, CP Danladi Isa, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to the protection of lives and property across the state.

He emphasized that effective security requires collective responsibility and urged residents to support the police with timely and credible information capable of preventing crime and criminal activities.

The Commissioner also advised members of the public to report suspicious movements and activities to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency lines.