The Anambra Police Command has rescued a kidnap victim and arrested seven suspects in separate operations across the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Awka.
Ikenga said the operatives also recovered a suspected stolen tricycle.
In the first operation, operatives of the Anambra IGP Violent Crime Response Unit, acting on credible intelligence, arrested two suspects at Akpukpokelemu Village, Nimo, Njikoka Local Government Area.
He said the suspects were allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a victim who was held captive for three days in a criminal hideout.
“During the period of captivity, the kidnappers allegedly withdrew a total sum of ₦7 million from the victim’s bank accounts before fleeing with his Toyota Highlander SUV,” he said.
The police spokesman said the suspects confessed to their involvement during interrogation and were subsequently identified by the victim.
He added that they were assisting the police with information to identify and possibly arrest other members of the syndicate still at large.
Ikenga said that in a separate operation, the same operatives, acting on open-source intelligence, arrested five suspects allegedly involved in armed robbery and the snatching of a TVS tricycle.
“Following the arrest of the first suspect and the recovery of the stolen tricycle at Old Road, Nkpor, operatives subsequently apprehended four other suspected members of the robbery syndicate,” he said.
He said the suspects and the recovered tricycle were in police custody, while investigations were ongoing to establish their individual roles and apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large.
Ikenga said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Nnanna Ama, commended the operatives for their professionalism, intelligence-led approach and prompt response.
The commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to sustained intelligence-led operations, strategic deployment of technology and coordinated efforts against violent crimes across the state.
