RismadarVoice Reporters, August 14, 2026
The Enugu State Police Command has paraded 14 suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly linked to several abductions and a murder in different parts of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Enugu.
Mr Giwa said the suspects were arrested through intelligence-led operations conducted across several states.
According to him, the operations resulted in the recovery of five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one locally fabricated firearm, 310 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight cartridges and seven empty AK-47 magazines.
The commissioner said two of the suspects allegedly involved in the abduction of worshippers at a church in Inoyi, Affa community, Udi Local Government Area, fled to Port Harcourt but were later traced and arrested.
He said preliminary investigations showed that after fleeing Enugu, the suspects regrouped with associates in Port Harcourt and allegedly kidnapped another victim, who was released after a N5 million ransom was paid.
Mr Giwa said the 14 suspects were linked to a wider criminal network operating across different parts of Nigeria, with members allegedly converging in Enugu to plan and execute kidnapping operations before returning to their respective locations.
The suspects
He said the suspects had confessed to involvement in several kidnapping incidents along the Enugu-Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka Road, Obioma-9th Mile-Umulumgbe-Ukpatu axis, Eke-Affa-Egede-Ezinze axis and other locations in Ezeagu Local Government Area.
The commissioner said the suspects were allegedly involved in the abduction of a man at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu, on May 25, 2026, for which N5.5 million ransom was reportedly collected.
He added that the gang was also linked to the abduction of two men and the killing of a woman at Obioma, Udi, on May 9, during which $28,700 was allegedly obtained as ransom.
According to him, the suspects were further linked to the abduction of two people along the Eke-Ezinze Road, Udi, on April 10, for which $70,000 was allegedly paid.
The police also linked the suspects to the kidnapping of seven people at Obinaofia, Ezeagu, on April 12, for which N25 million was allegedly collected.
Mr Giwa said investigations showed that proceeds from the alleged crimes were invested in livestock and properties, while some of the suspects allegedly spent the money on luxury and overseas trips.
He described the arrests and recovery of weapons as a result of sustained intelligence gathering, technology-driven investigations, inter-agency collaboration and cooperation between police commands in different states.
The commissioner said investigations were continuing to identify other members of the alleged syndicate, recover additional firearms and criminal proceeds, and determine the suspects’ involvement in other kidnapping and violent-crime cases within and outside Enugu State.
He assured residents that the command would sustain operations against kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, cultism and other violent crimes.
“We will continue to make Enugu State increasingly unconducive to unrepentant local criminals, criminal elements seeking to infiltrate the State, and their activities,” Mr Giwa said.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the police.
The commissioner commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, Governor Peter Mbah and other security agencies for their support and collaboration in combating crime in the state.
