Abia police arrest kidnap kingpin, rescue two unhurt

One Ogochukwu Ihedioha, the leader of a kidnap syndicate terrorizing Abia and Rivers States has been arrested in Abia.

Ihedioha was arrested on Wednesday by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Aba Area Command.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Ezekiel Onyeke who confirmed the arrest of the kidnap kingpin to newsmen, said the Police were on the trail of other members of the gang, adding that arrangements were on the way to hand the suspects over for prosecution.

Onyeke, however, called for the continued corporation of the public in making sure that criminal elements in their neighborhood were flushed out.

According to the PPRO, Onyeke and his syndicate specialized in abducting targeted victims from Aba to their hideout in Umuakwu community; Eberi Omuma in Omuma council area of Rivers state.

Ihedioha and his syndicate had kidnapped a clergy at Clifford road -Aba and another female victim from Ngwa both respectively on 11th May.

The SARS team, acting on a tip-off rescued the two kidnapped victims unhurt, without payment of ransom.

In the process of the rescue, Ihedioha and some members of his gang escaped from their hideout when police struck but a female member of the syndicate, Izuchi Nwaforala, was nabbed in the operation while items including one SMG rifle, 25 rounds of live ammunition were all recovered in the process.

Nwaforala, however, helped the police in their investigations which led to Ihedioha’s arrest.

Ihedioha, who was arrested in his residence at No.9 Ekwulobia Street, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has since confessed to the crime and admitted being the leader of the gang