The police in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria, have rescued an electrician who was kidnapped after being lured with a job offer in the state.
The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
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Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said police operatives rescued the victim on 18 April during a raid on their hideout in a bush in Umuezeala Awuda Village, Nnobi Community, Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.
He said three suspected kidnappers were arrested during the operation, conducted in collaboration with members of the Agunechemba, a vigilante group in Anambra State.
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“Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspects lured the victim, an electrician by profession, under the pretext of offering him a job.
“Upon arrival at the agreed location, the victim was forcefully blindfolded at gunpoint and taken to the bush at Umuezeala Awuda, where he was held captive,” he said.
The spokesperson identified the arrested suspects as Chidalu Obi, 25, Chichebem Ojenigbo, 26, and Chikannechukwu Eze, 20 – all males.
Mr Ikenga said the police operatives also recovered N469,000, which was paid as ransom to the suspects.
“The suspects confessed to the crime and admitted to collecting a ransom of N469,000 which was transferred into a SportyBet account belonging to one of the suspects, Chidalu Obi,” he said.
SportyBet is a popular online football betting company in Nigeria.
Mr Ikenga reiterated the police commitment to safeguarding lives and property in the South-eastern state.
He urged residents of the state to continue to support the police with “timely and credible information” that can assist in the fight against crimes.
Prohibited in Nigeria
There have been growing attacks by kidnappers across Nigeria.
Civil servants, business owners, politicians, and even students have become targets lately.
In March, for instance, gunmen believed to be kidnappers abducted and then killed Francis Igwe, father of a former deputy governor of Ebonyi State.
Police, later, announced the arrest of some of the suspects in connection with the abduction and killing of the victim.
In Nigeria, kidnapping is a criminal offence.
The country enacted the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act (2022) which outlawed all forms of kidnapping.
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The Act prescribes the death sentence for kidnapping in cases 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 kidnap victims.
Several persons have been convicted for kidnapping across Nigeria.
An Ikeja Special Offences Court, in September 2022, sentenced kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping.
