The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that operatives of the Cross River Police Command, on Friday, March 6th, arrested three men suspected to be kidnappers in Eta-Agbor, Calabar.

The Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nkereuwem Akpan, who led the elite unit of the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad, also rescued a kidnap victim, Mrs. Grace Adams.

Akpan told journalists that the command had received a complaint of illegal activities of some gangsters in the neighbourhood, including alleged raping of girls by the gang members.

He said that the command swung into action in the neighbourhood at about 4:00 am to close off the area of the suspects.

The victim was kidnapped last night, March 5, in Calabar metropolis. We never knew she was kidnapped. We only got information that the said building is used by kidnappers.

When we struck, we found out that a lady has been kidnapped and kept in their custody and we immediately rescued her.

If we can have the system that is going on in Anambra where any building that harbours kidnapped victims is demolished, I think it will be better because it will discourage people from going into kidnapping in Calabar.

Just last month, we recovered a stolen vehicle close to the building and we suspected the vehicle to have been used for most of the kidnappings that have gone on,

he said.

The commissioner, while describing the hoodlums’ arrest as a breakthrough for the police command, said there were efforts to nab four remaining suspects who took flight during the operation.

Akpan said that the arrested suspects would be charged to court immediately, in order to serve justice.

He assured that all pending cases of kidnapping would be efficiently handled in a way to purge the state of hoodlums.

We are partnering the communities and that is why we are getting results; anyone caught in any act of kidnapping or illegality would face the wrath of the law,

he said.

One of the suspects who spoke to NAN said that his gang had earlier demanded N30 million ransom from the victim’s family before their arrest.

A friend of mine by name Ubong, who is our master, called me to join them in the act; he promised to give me a percentage after the deal.

When we kidnapped the woman, we demanded N30 million from the family before the police arrested us.

I am an unemployed graduate of Electrical Engineering from Cross River University of Technology. If I am released, I won’t be involved in crime again,

he said.

The rescued victim, a business woman, said she was kidnapped in front of her gate at about 7.45 pm on Thursday immediately after alighting from her husband’s car.

They took me away from my gate at Joseph Mkpang Street in Ikot Ansa area of Calabar Municipality.

I want to commend the police for this swift response that led to my rescue. I give God the glory that I am free now,

she said.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.