The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to tackling violent crimes, particularly kidnapping, under his leadership.
This pledge followed a series of well-coordinated, intelligence-led operations in Enugu and Ogun States, according to a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
These operations led to the rescue of four kidnap victims, the neutralisation of three armed suspects, the arrest of several others, and the recovery of ransom payments, firearms, and incriminating materials.
In Enugu State, on July 16, 2025 at around 3:00 p.m., police officers, working with local security outfits, responded to a distress call from Okpuje-Ani community in Nsukka LGA. Armed kidnappers had been sighted in a nearby forest. Officers engaged the suspects, fatally shooting one, while the others fled with gunshot wounds. Police recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with two live rounds at the scene.
Later that day, officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad arrested a 23-year-old suspect, Aliyu Adamu, on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. He confessed to participating in multiple kidnappings and admitted he had travelled from Awka, Anambra State, to carry out criminal operations in Enugu.
In a separate development, on July 15, police arrested two women—Juliet Chukwu (39) and Nancy Chukwu (40)—as they attempted to divide ₦10 million ransom money. They had allegedly conspired to kidnap a male relative, initially demanding ₦50 million. Police rescued the victim unharmed and recovered a Toyota Corolla used for the crime, along with the ransom.
Meanwhile, in Ogun State, officers responded to the kidnapping of three people on July 16 near the Ajebo axis under the Owode Egba Division. At 4:00 a.m. the following day, tactical teams—using technology to locate the kidnappers—engaged the suspects in a shootout along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. Two suspects were killed in the exchange, and all three victims were rescued unhurt.
Officers recovered an AK-47 rifle, 139 rounds of ammunition, a magazine, one cutlass, a chain and padlock, ₦1.23 million suspected to be part of the ransom, and several mobile phones used in negotiations.
The Inspector-General praised the courage and professionalism of the officers involved, stating that the operations reflect a strategic move towards proactive, technology-driven, and intelligence-based policing. He reassured the public that the Nigeria Police Force remains committed to dismantling criminal networks nationwide and restoring public trust in security institutions.