Police Rescue 13 Kidnap Victims, Arrest 50 Suspects Nationwide
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
A coordinated wave of police operations across Nigeria has resulted in the rescue of 13 kidnapped victims, the arrest of at least 50 suspects and the recovery of several firearms and other exhibits, according to the Nigeria Police Force.
The operations, conducted between 6 and 8 August, targeted kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery, banditry and other violent crimes across several states.
In Ogun State, six Gateway ICT Polytechnic students abducted at Ipara were rescued following sustained security pressure.
Three suspected kidnappers were reportedly neutralised during a subsequent raid on their hideout, with an AK-47 rifle, mobile phones and ₦2.3 million recovered.
In Enugu, joint security teams rescued five kidnapped victims from a forest reserve after a gun duel with their abductors, while two other kidnap victims were separately released following pressure from security forces.
Katsina police also rescued two kidnapped children during an operation at Ganzaki Hill, where one suspected bandit was neutralised and another arrested. An AK-47 rifle loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition and five rustled animals were recovered.
Other operations recorded arrests linked to cultism in Akwa Ibom, Enugu and Ekiti, ATM robbery in Ekiti, armed robbery in Ondo, suspected IPOB/ESN activities in Imo and a planned kidnapping in Plateau State.
In Plateau, three suspects, including serving personnel of the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Navy, were arrested over an alleged plot to kidnap the wives of two bishops in Jos.
The police also reported the arrest of murder and culpable homicide suspects in Bauchi and Gombe, recovery of suspected stolen vehicles in Nasarawa and Enugu, and the arrest of a suspected one-chance robbery operative in Rivers State.
The Force said investigations into the various cases are ongoing, while security personnel remain deployed in areas where necessary to maintain public safety.
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