Police rescue 12 kidnap victims, recover ₦10.3m ransom in nationwide crackdown

By Ojochenemi Onje

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued 12 kidnapped victims, recovered over ₦10 million in ransom, and neutralised suspected kidnappers during coordinated operations nationwide.

Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed the success in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja. He said the operations reflect the police’s renewed commitment to public safety and the fight against crime.

“In one of the key operations, police operatives in Imo State, acting on credible intelligence, raided a suspected hideout of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), at Cameron Street, Ubahu, Okigwe Local Government Area,” the statement reads.

“The raid, conducted in the early hours of April 17, led to the arrest of three suspects after a gun battle. The suspects—Onyekaba Ikenna Innocent, 21; Ugwu Ikenna, 31; and Ofor Kasarachi, 37—were found with an AK-47 rifle, two pump-action guns, 18 live cartridges, several electronic devices, and ₦10.3 million in cash suspected to be ransom money.”

It also added that in a separate incident in Edo State, police successfully rescued 10 students abducted while travelling to Babcock University for the GYC Africa Conference. According to the statement, operatives engaged the kidnappers in a fierce shootout, killing one of the suspects and freeing all hostages without injury.

“These operations underscore the Nigeria Police Force’s determination to clamp down on criminal gangs and restore peace in troubled communities,” the police stated, urging continued public support for law enforcement efforts.

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