Anambra: 2 members of kidnap gang arrested after victim’s escape

By Obinna Unaeze

Two suspects identified as Solomon Onele (Federal) and Simeon Chidera (Chaplet) have been arrested over alleged involvement in kidnapping and armed robbery after one of their victims escaped from their den in Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra state.

SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the spokesperson of Anambra Police Command in a statement on Wednesday in Awka said the two suspects and others on the run also attempted to kill their victim.

He said the two members of the notorious kidnapping gang were arrested by police Operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad in the early hours of June 25.

“The suspects were allegedly involved in a reported case of kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted murder, where the victim escaped from a criminal den, in Umudioka, Dunukofia LGA,” he said.

The police spokesperson said that the two suspects and other syndicate members who were currently at large specialized in luring their victims in the guise of selling land to them.

He explained that the suspects, on May 31, abducted a victim, dispossessed him of his personal belongings and inflicted life-threatening injuries on him with a machete.

According to Ikenga, they kept the victim in one of their criminal dens while demanding ransom from his family members and friends.

Fortunately, the victim escaped from their den and was later debriefed accordingly by the Police Operatives.

The PPRO said that given the confessions of the suspects, the police had activated onslaught operations for the arrest of other gang members and to dismantle the criminal network in the area. (NAN)