The Enugu State Police Command has rescued 28 abducted persons and arrested 10 suspects in a string of operations aimed at curbing kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.
This was disclosed on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa.
According to the statement, the rescue missions were carried out with the assistance of Neighbourhood Watch groups, Forest Guards, and local communities.
“These operations are part of our ongoing commitment to uproot criminal elements from Enugu State. So far, we’ve rescued 28 hostages, arrested 10 male suspects, and recovered weapons, ammunition, vehicles, cash, and motorcycles used in the crimes,” the police commissioner said.
In one incident, officers from the Umumba Division, acting on credible information, stormed a forest along the Umumba-Ndiuno-Aguoba Road in Ezeagu Local Government Area and rescued two men and two women.
Four men suspected to be involved in the kidnapping were arrested and are currently in custody, assisting with investigations.
In a separate case, operatives from the 9th Mile Police Division responded to an emergency call and rescued a man from being lynched by an angry mob.
The suspect, along with three accomplices, had tried to abduct a woman, but fled after she raised an alarm. The rescued suspect, who sustained injuries from the mob attack, was taken to a hospital for treatment and is being further investigated.
On May 17, security operatives from the Okpuje Division, working with community vigilantes, conducted a raid on a forest along the Enugu-Kogi border. Two men were caught in possession of ₦220,000 in cash, suspected to be intended ransom, as well as food items demanded by the kidnappers.
A gun battle followed, during which the kidnappers fled with injuries, leaving behind a pump-action rifle, live cartridges, and their victims, who were freed without harm.
Another major breakthrough occurred on May 14 when police officers from Igbo-Eze North Division, with military support, rescued 21 individuals abducted on May 10 while returning from a traditional marriage ceremony.
The victims were taken hostage along Iyionu-Aguibeje Road and were later found in the Amaka-Okpodu area of Kogi State. Five suspects were apprehended, and three firearms were recovered.
A mini-bus and four motorcycles belonging to the victims were also found.
On May 13, around 9:45 p.m., a separate anti-kidnapping operation led to the rescue of another victim along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
A Toyota Camry belonging to the victim was recovered, along with a white Toyota Corolla (plate number ENU 703 LP) and a Lexus 330 SUV, both abandoned by the fleeing suspects at the scene in Premier Layout, Enugu.
Commissioner Giwa applauded the joint efforts of police officers, local security groups, and law-abiding residents for their support in combating insecurity.
He assured the public that the police remain committed to making the state safer.
He also encouraged residents to be security-conscious and to cooperate with law enforcement in reporting suspicious activities.