Five arrested as police kill suspected kidnapper, recover N10 million ransom

The police in Enugu State say they have killed a suspected kidnapper and arrested five other suspects in multiple operations in the state.

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Daniel Ndukwe, the police spokesperson in the state, said in a statement on Thursday that a cash of N10 million ransom was recovered from the suspects during the operations.

Mr Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, said a vehicle, arms and ammunition were also recovered from the suspects during the operations.

The police spokesperson said the multiple operations were carried out between 5 and 16 July 2025.

How the operations were carried out

Mr Ndukwe said the operations began on 5 July at about 5:30 p.m. when operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad arrested two male suspects, Usman Musa, 20 and Musa Zaria, 24, both indigenes of Kogi State.

He said the suspects were arrested at Okemmou Area at Ninth Mile Corner in Udi Local Government Area of the state.

“The suspects were found in possession of clothing and a wristwatch belonging to two male victims kidnapped on 4 July 2025.

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“The victims later identified both the items and the suspects as those involved in their abduction,” he said.

The spokesperson said, in another operation on 15 July, the operatives arrested two female suspects, Juliet Chukwu, 39, and Nancy Chukwu, 40.

“The suspects, who are sisters and claimed to be law enforcement officers, were apprehended while sharing a ransom of N10 million.

“The ransom was obtained from their kinsman, whom they had conspired to kidnap on 14 July 2025, after initially demanding N50 million,” the police spokesperson said.

“The victim was rescued unharmed, and the operatives recovered the cash and a Toyota Corolla vehicle belonging to one of the suspects.”

More operations

Mr Ndukwe said, in a similar operation on 16 July, police operatives attached to Okpuje Division killed a suspected kidnapper during a shootout at a forest in Okpuje-Ani Community, Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson said police operatives conducted the operation in collaboration with members of the Neighbourhood Watch, Forest Guards, and local hunters in the community.

He said the security operatives were responding to a distress call indicating that some armed kidnappers were sighted at the forest in the community.

“Upon arrival, the armed suspects engaged the team. The operatives returned fire, neutralising one of the suspects while others escaped.

“An AK-47 rifle loaded with two live rounds of ammunition was recovered from the neutralised suspect,” he said.

Mr Ndukwe said, in another operation on the same day, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad arrested a 23-year-old suspected kidnapper, Aliyu Adamu, at Ugwu-Onyeama, along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to participating in multiple kidnappings and stated that he had been invited from Awka, Anambra State, by another suspect now at large for criminal operations in Enugu State,” he said.

The spokesperson said efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing kidnappers, adding that all the arrested suspects would be arraigned upon completion of investigations.

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, commended the operatives for their bravery, professionalism, and swift responses, Mr Ndukwe said.

Mr Giwa reassured residents of Enugu State that the police in the state were committed to eliminating criminals from the state.

The police chief also promised to ensure continued safety and security of the residents in the state.

Kidnap for ransom

Like other states in the South-east, cases of kidnapping for ransom in Enugu State have increased in recent times.

READ ALSO: How landlord allegedly masterminded kidnap, murder of two Ondo varsity undergraduates – Police

Civil servants, business owners, politicians and even students have become targets of such attacks in the state lately.

Nigerian laws criminalise kidnapping whether or not it leads to death.

The country’s authorities enacted the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act (2022) which outlawed all forms of kidnapping.

The Act prescribes death sentence for kidnapping in a case where the abduction leads to loss of life and life imprisonment where there is no loss of life.

It was an amendment to the now defunct Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act (2013) which had prescribed a 10-years jail term for kidnapping.

The new Act also prescribes at least a 15-year jail term for whoever pays ransom to free kidnap victims.

Several persons have been convicted for kidnapping across Nigeria.

In September 2022, an Ikeja Special Offences Court sentenced kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping.