ENUGU: The Enugu State Police Command has arrested 14 suspected kidnappers and recovered several firearms and rounds of ammunition in a series of intelligence-led operations targeting criminal syndicates operating across the state and other parts of the country.
The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, disclosed this in Enugu during a news briefing on Friday, where he outlined recent successes recorded by the command in its fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes.
According to Giwa, the operations led to the recovery of five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns and one locally fabricated firearm.
The police also recovered 310 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight live cartridges and seven empty AK-47 magazines.
Giwa said some of the operations were carried out jointly with other security agencies and resulted in the rescue of kidnapped victims in Ogbozara Community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State and Owukpa Community in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
He recalled that one of the victims abducted from a church in Inoyi, Affa Community, Udi LGA, was rescued on August 2.
According to the police commissioner, a subsequent joint intelligence-led operation rescued the remaining two victims, arrested three suspects, neutralised one suspect and recovered ransom money, firearms, ammunition and other incriminating exhibits.
He said further operations by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Violent Crime Response Unit led to the arrest of two additional male suspects allegedly linked to the Affa Church kidnapping.
The suspects, according to Giwa, had fled to Port Harcourt after security operatives intensified pressure on the gang. They were traced, arrested and brought back to Enugu.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that after fleeing Enugu, the suspects regrouped with their cohorts in Port Harcourt and abducted another victim, who was released after a ₦5 million ransom was paid, he said.
Giwa further disclosed that 12 additional suspects were earlier arrested as part of sustained operations against kidnapping and other violent crimes.
He said the arrests followed human and technical intelligence gathered during operations conducted in different parts of the country.
The suspects were arrested at different times in June, July and August 2026 across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Kwara and Taraba States.
The commissioner said investigations showed that the suspects belonged to an organised criminal network operating across different locations.
According to him, members of the network usually converged on Enugu to plan and execute kidnapping operations before returning to their respective locations.
He said an Enugu-based member of the group allegedly provided transportation for the gang members, firearms and other criminal implements using a tricycle.
Another Enugu-based member, he added, allegedly supplied intelligence that helped the gang evade security surveillance and identify potential victims and locations.
Giwa said preliminary investigations and interrogations had linked the suspects to several recent and past kidnapping incidents across Enugu State.
These included operations along the Enugu–Ugwuogo–Opi–Nsukka Road; Obioma–9th Mile–Umulumgbe–Okpatu Road; Eke–Affa–Egede–Ezinze axis, as well as different locations in Ezeagu LGA.
The police commissioner said investigations had also linked the suspects to the abduction of a male victim at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu LGA, on May 25, during which ₦5.5 million was reportedly obtained as ransom.
He said the suspects were also linked to the abduction of two male victims and the shooting of a female victim at Obioma, Udi LGA, on May 9, during which the gang allegedly collected 28,000 US Dollars as ransom.
Another incident involved the abduction of seven victims at Obinaofia, Ezeagu LGA, on April 12, with ₦25 million reportedly paid as ransom.
Giwa said the suspects had also provided information about other kidnapping operations and ransom payments during interrogation.
The commissioner further disclosed that the suspects allegedly laundered and concealed proceeds from their criminal activities through investments in livestock and properties.
He said the suspects also allegedly spent the proceeds on lavish lifestyles, conspicuous consumption and overseas trips.
Giwa assured that investigations would continue to determine the suspects’ involvement in other kidnapping and violent-crime incidents within and outside Enugu State.
He said the police would also work to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate and recover additional firearms, ammunition and proceeds of crime.
The command will also recover other criminal proceeds and, finally, after the extensive investigations they will be charged to court in accordance with extant laws, Giwa said.
