Enugu, Nigeria – Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have killed a suspected kidnapper and rescued a male victim during a shootout with a criminal gang in the state. The kidnappers had earlier transferred N2.2 million from the victim’s bank account after abducting him on Friday night.
The incident occurred just weeks after nine individuals, including two Catholic reverend sisters, were abducted by gunmen in Eburumiri, Ibagwa-Aka, in the Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area.
Police spokesperson Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement on Sunday, said the rescue operation was carried out on Saturday by operatives of the Commissioner of Police’s Monitoring Unit and the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad.
How the Attack Happened
According to Mr. Ndukwe, the victim was ambushed and abducted by the gang while driving his Mercedes SUV within the Government Residential Area (GRA) of Enugu. The suspects, who fired multiple shots during the attack, later took him to an undisclosed location.
Upon receiving intelligence on the incident, Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Bitrus Giwa, immediately mobilised operatives to track down the suspects.
“The police operatives successfully traced the kidnappers to a valley in the Ngwo community, located in Enugu South Local Government Area,” Mr. Ndukwe said. “A gun duel ensued, leading to the neutralisation of one of the suspects and the safe rescue of the victim.”
He revealed that the gang had initially demanded a ransom of N20 million but resorted to forcefully transferring N2.2 million from the victim’s bank account.
A locally made double-barrel pistol loaded with two live cartridges and a green-coloured Nissan Almera used by the suspects were recovered from the scene.
Police Commendation and Ongoing Efforts
Commissioner Giwa commended the operatives for the swift response and successful rescue. He directed that efforts be intensified to arrest the fleeing members of the gang and recover the victim’s vehicle.
He also reassured the public of the police’s commitment to flushing out criminal elements from Enugu State and urged residents to support ongoing security efforts with timely and useful information.
Surge in Kidnappings Across Enugu
Enugu State has witnessed a rise in kidnapping cases in recent months, particularly in Nsukka, Igbo-Eze South, and Igbo-Etiti LGAs. Victims have included civil servants, businesspeople, politicians, and students.
The latest incident comes shortly after the rescue of the nine abducted victims in Ibagwa-Aka, who spent nearly a week in captivity before being freed by security agencies last Friday.
While the growing wave of insecurity in the South-east is often blamed on the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the group has consistently denied involvement in the attacks. IPOB seeks the secession of the South-east and parts of the South-south from Nigeria.
