The Enugu State Police Command has arrested and paraded 14 suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly involved in several kidnapping operations in Enugu and other parts of the country.
Briefing journalists at the Command’s headquarters in Enugu on Friday, the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, said two of the suspects were linked to the August 2 kidnapping at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Affa, Udi Local Government Area of the state.
He said the two suspects 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.
Giwa said the 14 suspects were arrested on various dates in June, July and August 2026 in Abuja, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Kwara and Taraba states.
He said the suspects had 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 Local Government Area.
“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.
Giwa said the suspects were members of an organised criminal network operating from different parts of the country, who usually came into Enugu to plan and execute kidnapping operations before returning 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 firearms, 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 him, investigations also revealed that the suspects allegedly laundered and concealed proceeds of their criminal activities through investments in livestock and different properties, while also engaging in lavish spending and trips to foreign countries, including Cameroon.
The police recovered 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 from the suspects.
Giwa said investigations were still ongoing 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 firearms, ammunition and criminal proceeds.
He said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
One of the suspects who spoke to journalists confessed to his involvement in kidnapping, saying his gang operated along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
The suspect said he had been involved in kidnapping for more than three years and that the gang made millions of naira from ransom payments.
He attributed the breakthrough to the availability of state-of-the-art security infrastructure, sustained intelligence gathering, ICT-enabled investigation, inter-agency collaboration, interstate cooperation and coordinated operational policing.
“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 said.
