Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have apprehended two men accused of aiding a notorious kidnapping gang to receive a N21 million ransom linked to the abduction of a victim in Asaba earlier this month.
The suspects, identified as Cyprian Njanefo, 60, and Sunday Uwen, 49, were tracked and arrested in Ihiala, Anambra State, after weeks of investigation by the command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad.
Police spokesman Bright Edafe disclosed that the arrest followed the abduction of a man on October 3, 2025, at Oduke, a suburb of Asaba, the Delta State capital.
He revealed that detectives recovered N4.5 million of the ransom money from the suspects during the operation.
“The suspects travelled from Anambra to Delta State to aid the kidnappers and later returned to their hideout after collecting the ransom. Our men trailed them for days before eventually closing in,” Edafe said.
Speaking in a video shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Edafe praised the officers for their diligence, assuring that the remaining members of the kidnapping network would soon be caught.
“We are following credible leads to apprehend the rest of the gang. No criminal will find Delta safe for operations,” he added.
During interrogation, Njanefo admitted that ₦21 million was transferred into his bank account but claimed ignorance of its criminal source.
“A friend approached me, asking to use my account for a transfer.
“He said it was his business money, so I didn’t suspect anything. I never knew it was ransom money,” Njanefo explained.
His accomplice, Uwen, confessed to previously receiving N700,000 from an earlier kidnapping deal but said he got nothing from the latest transaction that led to his arrest.
Police authorities have since launched a manhunt for other members of the gang still at large, emphasizing that the command remains committed to dismantling criminal syndicates in the region.
“We urge the public to continue sharing useful information. Together, we can make our communities safer,” Edafe appealed.
The Delta Police Command reiterated its warning against shielding criminals or providing financial support to kidnapping groups, stressing that anyone caught aiding such operations would face the full weight of the law.