Following a report received by the Imo Police Command’s anti-kidnapping unit on the abduction of the duo of Dominic Chukwuma and Silas Nnawubia on April 30, 2022, the operatives immediately swung into action and in a few days’ later, arrested the assailants and released their victims.
In a press statement issued by the Police command’s spokesman, CSP Mike Abattam, Saturday, he said, the police operatives on May 5, 2022 at about 2350 hours, stormed the kidnappers’ den at a location around Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area (LGA) and arrested one Obinna Onuoha, 35 years old and a native of Umuegwu Mpam and Igbokwe Joseph also 35 years, a native of Umuchoko Ihitte Aforukwu.
Both are from Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo state.
He said, “In the course of interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime of kidnapping and revealing how they escaped from Imo Correctional Centre Jail break of 5th of April, 2021. And after their escape, they got a safe hideout in Ahiazu Mbaise, formed a kidnapping syndicate with their hideouts in strategic areas in the state. And have been the ones involved in most of the deadly kidnapping incidents recorded in the state.
“The suspects later took the police operatives to their various hideouts in the state where most of their gang members were arrested. Those arrested include: Tochi Chilak ‘M’ 27 years, a native of Ezeala Ihitte in Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State, Sunday Richard ‘M’ 32 years, a native of Ikom in Cross River State, Comfort Ogbo ‘F’ 35 years, a native of Gwer West in Naka LGA of Benue State, Igbo Simeon ‘M’ 33 years, a native of Gwer West in Naka LGA of Benue State, Cyril Iwuagwu ‘M’ 65 years, a native of Umegwu Mpam in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State, Nkechinyere Ibe ‘F’ 35 years, a native of Umuoyoka Ihitte Aforukwu in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State, and Ebo Ubochi ‘M’ 26 years, a native of Umuaraku in Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State.”
Abattam said the operatives also searched the kidnappers’ hideouts thoroughly and recovered some items, such as one AK47 rifle, breech number 1142 with 84 rounds of live ammunition, four locally made pistols, 46 rounds of live cartridges, one Toyota 4Runner SUV vehicle belonging to the victim, multiple bank ATM cards stolen from their victims and the personal belongings of the victim.
Meanwhile, the victims have since been reunited with their family members and aggressive manhunt is still on to arrest the remaining members of the syndicate at large.
