The Nigeria Police Force says it has intensified its crackdown on violent crimes across the country, with recent operations in Enugu and Ogun States leading to the rescue of kidnap victims, the arrest of suspects, and the recovery of ransom money and weapons.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to “combating all forms of violent crimes, particularly kidnapping,” through intelligence-led and technology-driven policing.
In Enugu State, police operatives working in collaboration with local security groups responded to a distress call on July 16 from residents of Okpuje-Ani in Nsukka Local Government Area.
The operation led to the neutralisation of an armed suspect, while others fled into the forest with gunshot injuries.
An AK-47 rifle loaded with two live rounds was recovered at the scene. That same day, the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad arrested 23-year-old Aliyu Adamu along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
Police say the suspect confessed to being part of a kidnapping gang and revealed he was invited from Awka, Anambra State, to operate in Enugu.
In another development, the Enugu State Police Command arrested two sisters, Juliet Chukwu (39) and Nancy Chukwu (40), on July 15 during a covert operation.
They were allegedly caught sharing a ₦10 million ransom collected from their own kinsman, whom they had plotted to kidnap. The victim was safely rescued, and a Toyota Corolla used in the operation, as well as the ransom money, were recovered.
In Ogun State, police operatives carried out a dramatic rescue on July 16 after receiving a report that three individuals had been kidnapped in the Ajebo axis under the Owode Egba Division.
Acting on intelligence and aided by tracking technology, officers located the kidnappers along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the early hours of the following day. A fierce shootout ensued, resulting in the death of two suspects and the safe rescue of all three victims.
The police recovered one AK-47 rifle, 139 rounds of ammunition, a magazine, a cutlass, a chain and padlock, ₦1,235,000 suspected to be part of the ransom, and several mobile phones used for negotiation.
Commending the operatives, IGP Egbetokun said, “These operations reflect the strategic shift under the current leadership of the Force towards proactive, technology-driven, and intelligence-led policing.”
The Inspector-General also assured Nigerians that the Police Force remains “fully committed to dismantling criminal syndicates across all regions and restoring public confidence in national security.”