The Police in Rivers State, Nigeria’s South-south, have arrested three suspected kidnappers who allegedly killed one of their victims after collecting N6.9 million ransom.
In a statement on Monday, the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the arrests followed an investigation into the abduction of one Humphrey Wagbara of Igwuruta-Atali, a community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
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Ms Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said the suspects also kidnapped one Mercy Chinyere on 12 September at the same location, where they also collected a ransom of N3.5million before releasing her.
The police spokesperson identified the suspects as Hassan Mohammed, 20, of Wandigah Town, Mandagali, Borno State; Bello Abubakar, 25, of Roundabout Maura, Sokoto State; and Yusuf Ahmed, 23, of Hazari Local Government Area, Bauchi State.
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Ms Iringe-Koko said the police received a report on 26 August this year about the abduction of Mr Wagbara.
“Operatives of the Command attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU), Emohua Annexe, acting on this information and in a daring and coordinated operation on 19 September 2025, at about 0200hrs, arrested three suspects at different locations in Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre Local Government areas of the state in connection with the kidnapping of the victim.”
She said during interrogation, the suspects voluntarily confessed to their involvement in multiple kidnappings in the state.
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“Among their past kidnappings are those of Onwuli Jude and Nwabueze Nchekwube on September 24, 2025, at School Road, Igwuruta-Atali, where they collected a ransom of N6,900,000 before killing the victim,” she said.
The police spokesperson said exhibits recovered from the suspects include one G-3 rifle with Breech Number 10398, one magazine, one Itel phone belonging to Mr Wagbara, three short daggers, one jack knife, and one stainless short knife.
Ms Iringe-Koko said the suspects and the exhibits are in police custody, while detectives are tracking other fleeing members of the syndicate and searching for additional weapons.
Prohibited in Nigeria
Kidnapping has been prohibited in Nigeria since May 2022.
The country enacted the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act (2022), which outlawed all forms of kidnapping.
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The Act prescribes a 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-year jail term for kidnapping.
The new Act also prescribes at least a 15-year jail term for whoever pays ransom to free kidnapped victims.
Several persons have been convicted of kidnapping across Nigeria.
An Ikeja Special Offences Court, in September 2022, sentenced kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping.
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