Police rescue 35 kidnap victims…

The Nigeria Police Force has announced the rescue of 35 kidnap victims and the arrest of more than 60 suspects during coordinated operations carried out across 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between July 27 and July 30.

Key Highlights

• The Nigeria Police rescued 35 kidnap victims and arrested over 60 suspects in coordinated operations across 11 states and the FCT between July 27 and July 30.
• Police recovered firearms, live ammunition, suspected illicit drugs, counterfeit foreign currency and electoral materials during the operations.
• In Sokoto State, security operatives rescued 32 kidnap victims after a gun battle forced suspected bandits to flee.
• In Nasarawa State, three abducted female students were rescued safely and reunited with their families.
• In Lagos State, police arrested the alleged leader of a highway robbery syndicate, rescued another kidnap victim, and detained 39 additional suspects during separate raids.

The operations, according to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, also led to the recovery of firearms, ammunition, suspected illicit drugs, counterfeit foreign currency and electoral materials.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Iniedu said the operations were conducted by tactical teams, anti-kidnapping squads, intelligence operatives and other security agencies working in collaboration with the police.

He said the biggest rescue operation took place in Sokoto State, where security operatives engaged suspected bandits in a gun duel, forcing them to flee into a forest and rescuing 32 kidnapped victims comprising six men and 26 women.

According to him, the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has commenced investigations into the incident.

In Nasarawa State, three abducted female students were rescued unhurt after security operatives mounted pressure on their captors. The victims were medically examined before being reunited with their families, while efforts to arrest the kidnappers are ongoing.

In Lagos State, police arrested the alleged leader of a highway robbery syndicate during an intelligence-led operation. The suspect reportedly confessed to involvement in robbery and membership of a violent cult group.

The police also said another kidnap victim was rescued along the Lagos-Ogun boundary and reunited with family members.
During separate raids on suspected criminal hideouts in the state, 39 suspects were arrested, while 11 hand-push trucks, 14 hanging scales and two standing scales were recovered.

The cases are being handled by the SCID, Panti.

In the FCT, operatives arrested two suspects for allegedly vandalising solar-powered streetlight installations and recovered 14 solar poles and related accessories.

The police also arrested three suspected drug dealers in Abuja, recovering large quantities of Pregabalin, Tramadol, Nitrazepam, Codeine and other controlled substances.

In Delta State, one suspect was arrested following the recovery of two locally fabricated pistols and four rounds of live ammunition, while seven suspected cult members were apprehended during another operation. A double-barrel gun, seven live cartridges, a cult beret and other exhibits were recovered.

In Akwa Ibom State, police arrested a wanted suspect accused of stealing goods worth over N5 million alongside a company vehicle. The suspect reportedly confessed during interrogation, while efforts are ongoing to recover the stolen vehicle.

Two other suspects were also arrested for allegedly vandalising government drainage infrastructure, with large quantities of drainage binding wires recovered.

In Benue State, a suspected gunrunner was intercepted during a stop-and-search operation, leading to the recovery of 115 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition. Another suspect reportedly.

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Police also arrested a suspected illegal firearm manufacturer in the state and recovered a locally made AK-47 rifle and tools allegedly used for weapon fabrication.

In Enugu State, police arrested a suspect accused of defiling and impregnating a 13-year-old girl, while the Bauchi State Police Command arrested another suspect over an alleged rape case.

In Ekiti State, operatives arrested a suspect for alleged obtaining by false pretense and recovered counterfeit United States dollars and charms.
Meanwhile, six suspects were arrested in Osun State over alleged vote-buying and other electoral offences.

Police said exhibits recovered included N4.82 million in cash, a ballot paper specimen, a laptop, a printer, a photocopying machine, a voters’ register and several voters’ cards.

The Force said investigations are ongoing in all the cases, while efforts have been intensified to arrest fleeing suspects and other accomplices.