Kidnapping: Anambra police arrest soldier, others in military attire

The police in Anambra State have arrested a lance corporal in the army, Ojiegbe Obinna and others in military attire for alleged kidnapping.

While Obinna and two others were arrested at Ekwulobia in the Aguata Local Government Area, the other two in army attire were arrested in a different incident in Ogidi, in the Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, disclosed this to journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Saturday.

Describing the use of military uniform for kidnapping as a new trend of crime in the state, Mohammed enjoined the public to be wary of the development.

He said, “We enjoin the public to report any suspicious persons to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency numbers.”

He said the army corporal and his accomplices kidnapped one Uchenna Ezeonu .

He added that a distressed call reached the police who trailed and apprehended them.

He stated,” There was a distress call along Isuofia road in the Aguata LGA of Anambra State that three persons in military uniform around Ekwulobia roundabout abducted one Uchenna Ezeonu of Omeke village and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

“Following the distress call police operatives, attached to Operation Puff Adder, in conjunction with joint patrol teams, rushed to the scene and cordoned off the entire area in search of the hoodlums along the bush path by Uyo-Eke market road.

“Consequently, three suspects in military attire, who abducted the victim, were rounded up inside the bush.

The police spokesperson gave the names of Obinna’s accomplices as Obasi Peter and Benjamin Nicholas.

He said the victim was rescued unhurt adding that preliminary investigation revealed that Obinna served with the Nigerian Army and deployed to 101 Special Forces Battalion, Maiduguri, Borno State.

Mohammed said, “He was subsequently handed over to Onitsha Military Cantonment for discreet investigation while the remaining two suspects in military vest were discovered to be fake soldiers.’’

He said effort was ongoing to apprehend the fleeing members of the kidnap gang to bring them to justice.