Police operatives in Anambra State have rescued two female kidnap victims and apprehended four suspects.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, revealed that the operation was carried out by police officers attached to the Oba Police Divisional Headquarters in Idemili South Local Government Area.
According to Ikenga, the victims were rescued, and the suspects arrested after a ransom of ₦200,000 was paid for their release.
“Police operatives from the Oba Police Divisional Headquarters in Idemili South Local Government Area, on November 27, 2024, at 11:54 am, arrested one notorious kidnapper and three accomplices after a ransom of ₦200,000 was paid for the release of the victims,” the statement read.
“The operatives also rescued two female victims, aged between 15 and 19 years, in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, Ifechukwu Ibesimako, 19, from Aboji Village, Oba, and his three accomplices, lured their victims through social media, befriending them before holding them hostage until a ransom was paid by their families for their release.
“Further inquiries following the suspects’ arrest have uncovered additional criminal activities in the area, including a report of another female victim who had paid a ransom and was released months earlier.”
The Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, urged young people to be cautious about the individuals they engage with on social media.
He also ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the Anti-Kidnapping/Robbery Squad of the Command for further investigation.