By Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU — The Enugu State Police Command has paraded 14 suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly linked to several kidnapping operations and a murder case across the state.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing at the Command headquarters, GRA, Enugu, saying the suspects were arrested through intelligence-led operations conducted across several states.
Giwa said the operations led to the recovery of five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one locally fabricated firearm, 310 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight cartridges and seven empty AK-47 magazines.
He said two of the suspects allegedly involved in the kidnapping of worshippers at a church in Inoyi, Affa community, Udi Local Government Area, fled to Port Harcourt but were subsequently traced and arrested.
According to him, preliminary investigations showed that after fleeing Enugu, the suspects regrouped with their associates in Port Harcourt and kidnapped another victim, who was released after a N5 million ransom was paid.
The CP said the 14 suspects were linked to a wider criminal network operating across different parts of the country, with members converging in Enugu to plan and execute kidnapping operations before returning to their respective locations.
“The suspects had confessed to involvement in several kidnapping incidents along the Enugu-Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka Road, Obioma-9th Mile-Umulumgbe-Ukpatu axis, Eke-Affa-Egede-Ezinze axis and other locations in Ezeagu Local Government Area,” the CP said.
Giwa disclosed that the suspects had been linked to the abduction of a man at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu, on May 25, 2026, for which N5.5 million ransom was allegedly collected.
He added that the gang was also linked to the abduction of two men and the shooting and killing of a woman at Obioma, Udi, on May 9, during which $28,700 was allegedly obtained as ransom.
The suspects were further linked to the abduction of two victims along the Eke-Ezinze Road, Udi, on April 10, for which $70,000 was allegedly paid as ransom, as well as the kidnapping of seven victims at Obinaofia, Ezeagu, on April 12, for which N25 million was allegedly collected.
The police boss said investigations further revealed that proceeds from the alleged criminal activities were laundered through investments in livestock and properties, lavish spending and overseas trips.
“The arrests and recoveries are a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of sustained intelligence gathering, ICT-enabled investigation, inter-agency collaboration, inter-state cooperation and coordinated operational policing adopted by the Command,” Giwa said.
He said investigations were ongoing to identify other members of the syndicate, recover more firearms and criminal proceeds, and establish the suspects’ involvement in other kidnapping and violent-crime cases within and outside Enugu State.
Giwa assured residents that the Command would sustain its offensive against kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, cultism and other violent crimes.
“We will continue to make Enugu State increasingly unconducive to unrepentant local criminals, criminal elements seeking to infiltrate the State, and their activities,” he said.
He appealed to members of the public to remain vigilant and to provide the police with timely information on suspicious persons, movements and activities.
“I therefore urge residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities through established Police channels,” he said.
Giwa also commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, and other security agencies for their support and collaboration in the fight against crime.
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