From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
A member of an alleged kidnap syndicate which operated with a Blue Audi car with the registration number ABJ 352 AW has been nabbed by men of the Neighbourhood Watch, Onicha Local Government Command, Ebonyi State.
Commander of the security outfit in the council area, Isreal Ani said that the suspected criminal, and two other men on Tuesday, May 9, allegedly bundled a woman into their vehicle at Onicha Igboeze Community and zoomed off.
But they were sighted by some residents, who raised the alarm which made the security team give the hoodlums hot chase.
He disclosed that the suspected kidnappers sped towards Enugu State through a place called Ojorowo but luck ran out of the driver as his movement was intercepted by other security men at Afor Ugbawka in Nkanu East, Enugu State, who arrested him: “There were three men inside the car with a lady, suddenly I received a distress call from the men of Neighbourhood Watch of the community indicating that the occupants of the vehicle had seized the woman, at the scene of the incident the same rogues even knocked some persons down in the sympathizers’ attempt to obstruct their movement.
“He also knocked another okada man down at Afor Mgbaleze who wanted to stop him, the case of Nara town of Enugu State was not different as the man in his bid to escape hit two people but with the combined efforts of the operatives with other security guards at Ugbawka, alongside other sympathizers, the man was caught in the area. But before then, he had dropped the rest members of the syndicate together with the female victim in a lonely place where they escaped through the bush.”
Ani further said that his men recovered 17 phones, over 20 SIM cards and other incriminating items from the suspect’s vehicle adding that the accused person had deliberately dropped his accomplices to enable them run away with the victim hoping that he would manoeuvre his way too.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ebonyi State Police Command, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya said the man has confessed to being part of an armed robbery gang who usually disguised as commercial drivers and passengers and pick unsuspecting members of the public whom they would dispossess of their belongings on the way.
She disclosed that one of the victims of the syndicate had gone to the state command and identified the man as one of the criminals who robbed him, adding that investigation into the matter was on.
