From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
Three kidnap suspects who allegedly kidnapped two Enugu Catholic priests at different operations were among 29 suspects of different crimes caught by men of the Enugu state police command in the past one month. The suspects were paraded before newsmen yesterday at the police headquarters, State C.I.D Enugu.
The Police disclosed that the suspects were arrested by the anti- kidnapping squad of the unit in their various hideouts in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state.
The suspects gave their names as Adamu Mohammed, 25 from Taraba state,Musa Ibrahim 28 years of age from Katsina state and Dauda Ibeji 31,from Nasarrawa state were alleged to ave kidnapped Fr Ejike Ugwuanyi on January 14, at about 9.30 pm at Obollo Afor,Udenu local government of Enugu state.While Rv Fr Cyprain Ugwuanyi of St Patrick Catholic Church,Ogbosu Umulokpa, in Uzo Uwani local government area of the state was kidnapped by the sang gang on January 10.
He said police investigation so far have proved that the suspects were equally the ones who kidnapped a PDP woman leader of Igbo Etiti local government with her son and driver on December 21st at about 7.30pm.
Parading the suspects and others yesterday, the state commissioner for police, Mr Ahmed Abdurrahman, revealed that the command also recovered 13 arms in the period under review through various strategic operations.
He disclosed that one AK 47 rifle with 11 rounds of live Ammunitions and three locally made long guns with 18 live cartridges were recovered from the three suspects.
Other suspects who were paraded by the police were a six member gang comprising of three men and women, who engage on advance fee fraud and child trafficking He said the gang were arrested on January 8 at Golf Estate, Enugu by public spirited individuals.
He mentioned implements recovered from the suspects to include three vehicles, N2 million, three stethoscope, one ink-pad and stamp bearing Enugu State
University Teaching Hospital among others.
Abdurrahman said that the command arrested two suspects for unlawful possession of firearm, armed robbery and cult activities on Jan. 10 in various locations in the state.
He said that five arms and one round of 0.9mm live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.
He stated“These and many other issues were unraveled by the command in the month under review,’’ he said.
He thanked the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, for giving the command the needed re-enforcement and specailised directive.
“We are grateful to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for giving the command the needed logistic support, the good people of Enugu State for their support and journalists for partnering with the command to succeed,’’he added.
