Six suspected notorious kidnappers terrorising parts of Aba metropolis in Abia State have been arrested by the police Intelligence Response and Tactical (IRT) operatives in Aba.
They were said to be involved in violent armed robbery and kidnapping in the commercial city and beyond, and were monitored and arrested at the weekend in their various hideouts.
The suspected criminals include Chibuike Iheoma known as Adamu from Itukpa, Samuel Udochukwu, from Abala, Emeka Okedum, Ossa Ukwu, and Okechukwu Obioma, all of who hail from Umuali Ntigha, in Obingwa Local Government Area of the State.
Udo Onwukwe from Umuoru, also, in Obingwa, is said to be the bandits’ armorer and owner of the structure where kidnapped victims were kept, while Saviour Akpan from Ikot Esemem, Oruk Anam, in Akwa Ibom State, is their driver.
A highly placed police source told Daily Sun that the suspects had, while being interrogated, confessed to kidnapping one Mr Aniebue Onyebuchi and many others in Aba.
An AK47 with 25 rounds of ammunition, one pump action rifle with 10 cartridges and a Volkswagen Jetta car were reportedly recovered from the bandits.
Meanwhile, an Umuahia-based legal practitioner, Okey Mbanaso, was, on Monday night, reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
It was gathered that the human rights lawyer was kidnapped along the Enugu road by Uwalaka Street, at about 7:30pm.
His abductors were said to have abandoned his car, mobile phones, and other personal belongings and took him away to an unknown destination.
At the time of filling the report, the kidnappers were yet to contact any of the lawyer’s family members for any ransom, thereby, fuelling fear among friends and relations of the lawyer’s safety.
When contacted, Abia State command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the incident.
He said the command was doing everything to ensure the lawyer is freed unharmed and without paying any ransom.
