Police operatives from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Anambra State have arrested two suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate following a victim's escape from captivity in Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the Anambra State Police Command spokesperson, the suspects were apprehended in the early hours of the day after being linked to a case involving kidnapping, armed robbery, and attempted murder.
How the Suspects Operated
The two male suspects, identified as 23-year-old Onele Solomon (aka Federal) and Simeon Chidera (aka Chaplet), allegedly specialized in luring victims by pretending to sell land to them. Once trapped, victims would be abducted and held in a criminal den while ransom demands were made to their families and friends.
"The suspects were allegedly involved in a reported case of kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted murder where the victim escaped from a criminal den, in Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area," Ikenga stated.
In a specific incident on May 31, 2025, the suspects reportedly abducted a victim, stole his personal belongings, and inflicted life-threatening injuries on him with a machete. Fortunately, the victim managed to escape from their hideout and provided valuable information to police investigators.
Ongoing Police Operations
Following the confessions of the two suspects currently in custody, police have launched operations to arrest other gang members and dismantle the criminal network operating in the area.
"Operatives have activated onslaught operations given the confessions of the two suspects currently in custody for the arrest of other gang members and to dismantle the criminal network in the area," the police spokesperson confirmed.
This arrest comes amid growing concerns about kidnapping activities in various parts of Nigeria, with criminal gangs increasingly using deceptive tactics to lure unsuspecting victims.
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