The Cross River state police Command has rescued a kidnapped medical doctor and arrested three suspected kidnappers in the process.
Leader of the Police’s anti-kidnapping & cultism squad (aka the Dragon Squad), SP Abdulhameed Awodi, who paraded the three suspects in Calabar, Tuesday, said the rescued doctor, Edmund Akpaikpe of Irua Specialist Hospital, Edo state, was kidnapped around Esighi village in Bakassi local government area of Cross River on Sunday while dropping off his maid.
Awodi said Dr Akpaikpe regained freedom at about 2am on Tuesday after the Dragon Squad closed in on the kidnappers around the location where the victim was kept in the forest.
According to him, after actionable intelligence was provided, the Dragon Squad swung into action, explaining that when the kidnapers realised they could be apprehended within few minutes, they allowed Dr Edmund to go free.
The Squad leader said even after securing the victim’s release, the Dragon gave the kidnappers a hot chase and arrested three in the process.
He gave the names of the three kidnap suspects arrested in connection with the abduction as “Samuel Ime Thompson, 25 years , Kingsley Mbetobong , 23 years and Asuquo Ekpo Etim ,26 years.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the rescue of the kidnapped doctor, and warned criminal elements in the state to expects more onslaught.
“We want to use this opportunity to warn criminally minded individuals to either leave the state or be law abiding as we have resolved to go after anyone who is involved in crime with brutal force. We will not treat any kidnapper with kid gloves
“The rescue of Dr Akpaikpe is yet another success by AKCS, and we commend SP Awodi and his men ,including other units for carrying out the orders of the CP, Aminu Alhassan to the latter.
“We laud the Dragon Squad for their dexterity because they are giving their all to making sure Cross Riverians go about their lawful activities.
“We are also appealing to the public especially those living within riverine areas not to keep quiet whenever there is suspicious movement or when they see a strange face in their vicinity. They should always keep us abreast of such development because it makes our job easier,” she said .
Ugbo said the three suspects have already confessed to the crime and would be charged to court but that the Police were still on the trail of two other members of the five man gang who escaped during the operation.
Reports say Dr Akpaikpe, who was severely brutalised by his abductors, was now receiving medical treatment in an unnamed hospital in Calabar metropolis.
