By Elvira Jordan
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a six-man kidnapping syndicate linked to the abduction of a man identified as Mr Hassan in Port Harcourt.
The victim was reportedly kidnapped on 6 September around Fidelity Bank, Garrison, Port Harcourt, and taken to Igbugulu Waterside in Borikiri, where he was held for three days.
In a statement by the Police Public Relations officer, Agabe Blessing Karbolo, the victim was released after his relatives paid 10.3 million naira in ransom.
The Command said it received information about the incident on 7 September, prompting operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU, to launch an intelligence-led operation.
The operation led to the arrest of two suspects identified as 24-year-old Victor Ifeanyi, also known as “Big Boby,” from Aguleri Community in Anambra State, and 36-year-old Aniekan Okon Michael, also known as “Duff Man,” from Ikot Ukpor in Akwa Ibom State.
The Police said preliminary investigation showed that the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in the kidnapping and disclosed that the syndicate has six members who reportedly used a white minibus during the operation.
The Command said efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining members of the gang and bring them to justice.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju, has urged members of the public to provide credible information that could assist in identifying and apprehending criminal elements.
The Commissioner assured residents that such information would be treated confidentially, while reiterating the Command’s commitment to using intelligence-led operations to disrupt kidnapping syndicates and other criminal networks across the state.
He also urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies.
