14/08/2026
NEW: Again, Enugu busts criminal syndicates, police haul in 14 kidnap suspects
.. recover 5 AK-47 rifles, 2 pump-action rifles, ammunition
The Enugu State Police Command has arrested and paraded 14 kidnap suspects involved in various kidnapping operations in and outside the state.
Briefing pressmen at the Command’s headquarters in Enugu on Friday, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, said among them were two remaining suspects linked to the August 2 kidnapping raid on St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Affa, Udi LGA of the state, who fled to Port Harcourt following the operational pressure mounted by joint security operatives.
“Further intelligence-led operations by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Violent Crime Response Unit (AK-VCRU) led to the arrest of two additional male suspects linked to the Affa Church kidnapping. Preliminary investigation reveals that, after fleeing Enugu, the suspects regrouped with their cohorts in Port Harcourt and abducted another victim, who was released after a ransom of ₦5m was paid,” he said.
CP Giwa noted that all the 14 suspects were arrested on various dates in June, July and August 2026 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Kwara and Taraba States.
The suspects had also confessed to involvement in several recent and past kidnapping incidents along the Enugu–Ugwuogo–Opi–Nsukka Road, Obioma–9th Mile–Umulumgbe–Okpatu Road, Eke–Affa–Egede–Ezinze axis, and various locations in Ezeagu LGA.
“Specifically, preliminary investigation has linked the suspects to the following armed kidnapping incidents: the abduction of a male victim at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu LGA, on 25th May, 2026, during which ₦5m was obtained as ransom; the abduction of two male victims and the shooting and murder of a female victim at Obioma, Udi LGA, on 9th May, 2026, during which the gang obtained $28,700 as ransom; the abduction of two male victims along the Eke–Ezinze Road, Udi LGA, on 10th April, 2026, for which $70,000 was obtained as ransom; and the kidnapping of seven victims at Obinaofia, Ezeagu LGA, on 12th April, 2026, during which ₦25m was obtained as ransom,” he explained.
The CP revealed that the suspects, who were members of an organised criminal network operating from different parts of the country, usually came into the state to plan and execute kidnapping operations before disappearing to their respective locations.
“The network is aided by an Enugu-based member who operates a tricycle and provides transportation for the gang members, their fi****ms and other criminal implements to and from operational locations. Another Enugu-based member provides intelligence that enables the gang to evade security surveillance and identify suitable targets and locations,” he added.
According to Giwa, investigation revealed that the suspects laundered and concealed proceeds of their criminal activities through investments in livestock and different properties, and engaged in lavish spending as well as leisure and trips to foreign nations such as Cameroon.
He said the Command was still conducting more investigations to establish the suspects’ involvement in other kidnapping and violent-crime incidents within and outside Enugu State, identify and arrest other members of the syndicate, and recover additional fi****ms, ammunition and other criminal proceeds.
“Upon conclusion of investigation, the suspects will be charged to court in accordance with extant laws,” he added.
The Police Command also displayed five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one locally fabricated firearm, 310 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight live cartridges, and seven empty AK-47 magazines recovered from the suspects.
CP Giwa credited the successes recorded by the Enugu Police Command to the availability of state-of-the-art security infrastructure, effectiveness of sustained intelligence gathering, ICT-enabled investigation, inter-agency collaboration, inter-state cooperation and coordinated operational policing adopted by the Command.
He commended Governor Peter Mbah and the Inspector General of Police for their leadership and support in ensuring security and order in Enugu State.
“I would also like to express my profound gratitude to Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for his forward-looking leadership and for making the state safe.
“I equally commend other security agencies for their collaborative support, while also thanking members of the public for their continued cooperation,” he concluded.
The CP reiterated police’s readiness to make Enugu State increasingly unconducive to unrepentant local criminals and criminal elements seeking to infiltrate the state, commending Governor Peter Mbah and IGP Disu for their strategic leadership and support.
Meanwhile, one of the suspects confessed his crime to newsmen, saying his gang operated along the stretch of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and earned multimillion-naira ransoms before they were busted by security forces.
