Police arrest kidnapper, rescue victim in Kaduna

The Kaduna Police Command has rescued a victim kidnapped from Abuja and arrested one of the kidnappers on their way to Kano State.

The police also recovered the victim’s vehicle and the kidnappers’ operational firearms, the state Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan said in a statement Thursday.

According to him, on January 18, 2024, operatives attached to Kawo Divisional Headquarters, Kaduna, received a distress call of a kidnapping incident from Abuja indicating the culprits and their victim were transiting through Kaduna.

The said operatives, at about 0010 hours, blocked a grey Toyota Hilux van with registration number Abuja RBC 90 DC, carrying four passengers, the driver inclusive, suspected to be the vehicle conveying the kidnappers and their victim. 

“On sensing danger and in an effort to escape, one of the kidnappers fired at the policemen, and they responded accordingly. In the resulting gun duel, the victim, a certain Segun Akinyemi of block 10, Flat 2 FCDA Quarters, Area 3, Garki, Abuja, was rescued, and one of the kidnappers, a 28-year-old Chinaza Philip of Life Camp Abuja, was arrested,” he said.

He said preliminary inquiries revealed that the victim was abducted on January 17, 2024, by the kidnappers just when he was leaving his home in Abuja.

He said the three escaped suspects were; Chidibere Nwodibo of Life Camp Abuja, one Auwal (surname unknown), and the gang leader whose identity is yet to be ascertained. The kidnappers were transporting their victim to Kano before they were intercepted by the police.