The Nigeria Police Force has intensified efforts to combat kidnapping and terrorism, with operatives across the country recording several successes in the past 24 hours. According to CSP Ani Iniedu, the police spokesperson, these efforts include the arrest of suspected kidnappers, the rescue of an abducted child, and ongoing operations to track down terrorists and armed bandits. These developments were disclosed in an operational summary of police activities released on Saturday.
In Ogun State, police are on the manhunt for kidnappers who abducted a Chinese national, Liyuan Xiao, and his manager, Sunday, at a site in Erimobi, Saapade. Police tactical teams responded to the incident and recovered spent AK-47 ammunition shells at the scene. Combined security teams are combing surrounding bushes to rescue the victims unhurt and arrest their abductors. The Ogun Command Criminal Investigation Department in Eleweran is investigating the incident.
In Rivers State, police operatives arrested four suspects allegedly linked to the kidnapping of 24-year-old Gift Malekwe along Igwuruta/Etche Road. The suspects confessed to the crime and other kidnapping incidents during interrogation, revealing that they used dating sites to lure unsuspecting victims before abducting them. The suspects are being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department in Port Harcourt.
Police operatives in Cross River State rescued an 11-year-old boy who was allegedly abducted and found tied up inside a suspect’s room with injuries to his head. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Abashi John, was arrested and taken into custody for investigation. The case is being handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department in Calabar.
In Borno State, suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram insurgents abducted Yusuf Tahir, 38, a driver attached to GISCOR, while he was travelling from Maiduguri to Damasak. The incident occurred at Kareto in Mobbar Local Government Area. Police and military operatives have launched coordinated search-and-rescue operations to locate the victim and apprehend the suspected terrorists.
There were also reports of attacks in Zamfara, Bauchi, and Benue states. In Zamfara, a suspected bandit attack on Bardoki Village in Gummi Local Government Area left one person, Marka Muhammad, dead and two others injured. In Bauchi, a 25-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Gaddafi Ibrahim, was killed when armed assailants attacked two motorcycle operators near Zidanga Village. In Benue, 17 Cameroonian nationals suspected of engaging in clandestine activities were arrested for allegedly entering Nigeria without valid travel documents.
The police also reported an arrest in Anambra, where a 27-year-old suspect, Chidera Anthony, was apprehended for an alleged armed robbery in Awka, the state capital. The victim, Mrs Kate Mba, was reportedly dispossessed of a mobile phone, a point-of-sale machine, and ₦40,000 in cash. Police recovered the victim’s purse, an unregistered Tiger motorcycle, an axe, and other items from the suspect’s hideout. Efforts are continuing to arrest his alleged accomplice, who remains at large.
Key points
- Police are on the manhunt for kidnappers of a Chinese national and his manager in Ogun State.
- Multiple incidents of kidnapping and attacks were reported in various states, including Rivers, Cross River, Borno, Zamfara, Bauchi, and Benue.
- Police operatives have recorded several successes, including arrests and rescues, in their efforts to combat kidnapping and terrorism.
