Police arrests 7 kidnappers in Kogi, frees 1 victim

 Kogi State Police Command said on
Monday that it had arrested nine suspected
kidnappers and rescued a victim, Pastor Oliver
Clement.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),
ASP William Aya who disclosed this in a
statement in Lokoja said that the suspects were
rounded up in their various hideouts in Okene,
Ankpa, Lokoja and other parts of the state.

He said that the cleric was kidnaped on July 9
and rescued from his abductors on July 13, at
their Inye hideouts in Ankpa Local Government,
adding that he has since been reunited with his
family.

According to him, one of the suspects, Uche
Michael was arrested with bullet wounds at the
General Hospital, Okpo, in Olamaboro Local
Government Area of the state.

The police spokesman described Michael as a
notorious armed robber/kidnapper who recently
escaped arrest in Ondo State, saying that the
suspect had gone to the hospital for treatment
when luck ran out on him.

He further stated that an old time criminal who
had been on the police wanted list for years,
Habeeb Abdulkareem was among those arrested.

The suspect he said was arrested in Okene.

Other suspects arrested for kidnapping and
armed robbery include Muazu Salem, Mutari
Suleiman, Mohammed Abubakar, Ibrahim Ali,
Abdulahi Idris, Amodu Isah and Gade Garba.
He said that others escaped arrest but that
intelligence officers had been detailed to track
and arrest them.

Aya said that all the suspects were arrested
between May 25 and July 13, saying that nine
assorted rifles, including AK47, pump action,
double barrel guns and pistols were recovered
from them.

Also recovered from them are live cartridges,
cutlasses, knives, hammers and charms.
Aya said that some of the suspects had made
confessional statement and were cooperating
with the police.

All the suspects, he said, will be charged to
court as soon as investigations were conclude.

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