Hyacinth Chinweuba
Anambra Police Command has arrested three persons in military uniforms for allegedly kidnapping a businessman, Mr Uchenna Ezeonu at Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement from the Public Relations Officer of the state’s Command, Mr Haruna Mohammed, said that the suspects were arrested in a bush near the Uyo-Eke Market.
Mohammed said that the arrests followed a distress call made to the command on May 24 at about 11am.
“On May 24, at about 11:am, there was a distress call along Isuofia road in Aguata Local Government Area that three persons in military uniforms abducted one Uchenna Ezeonu around Ekwulobia Roundabout to unknown destination.
“Police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder in conjunction with Joint Patrol teams rushed to the scene and cordoned-off the entire area in search of the hoodlums along the bush path by Uyo- Eke market road.
“Consequently, three suspects in military attires, who abducted the victim were rounded up and arrested inside the bush.
“The victim was rescued unhurt,” Mohammed said.
The spokesman said that preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects, Obinna Ojiegbe, served in the Nigerian Army and was deployed to 101 Special Forces Battalion in Maiduguri, Borno.
He said that Ojiegbe had been handed over to the Military Cantonment, Onitsha for further investigation.
Mohammed added that the two other suspects – Peter Obasi and Benjamin Nicholas, who wore military vests – were found to be fake soldiers.
He said that one Okoye Ugochukwu was also arrested as their accomplice.
Also, the police image maker disclosed that the command rescued a kidnap victim, Mr Emmanuel Loco, who was abducted at Ogidi near Buckingham Polytechnic, Abatete road by yet, other military impersonators.
According to him, the victim was flagged down by the two men in military vest and face caps at about 5:15pm on the same road.
“The victim was driving his Mercedes Benz 320 SUV with registration number MHA 111KP before being joined by four other armed men, who abducted him.
“On the May 24, at about 7:35pm, following the report of the kidnap, Police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder and Ogidi Division mobilized to the area,” he noted.
Mohammed said that no arrest was made in the case as the suspects abandoned the victim and fled into the bush off Abatete road when they saw the police.
He said that investigation was ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects in order to bring them to Justice.
In another development, Mohammed said that the command had arrested two suspected members of a car-snatching syndicate – Franklin Ifeanyi, 42, and Steven Chinedu, 41.
He alleged that the two men stole a silver-colored Toyota Corolla with registration number BDG 317 FC belonging to one Mr Daniel Ozoigbo at No.12, Ogunbela Avenue, off Ago palace way, Okota, Lagos.
“The vehicle was removed from where it was parked at the owner’s residence in Lagos and brought to Anambra by the suspects,” he said.
He said that the vehicle had been recovered while the case would be transferred to the Lagos Command of the police for further investigation.