Police arrest 17 Cameroonians, four suspected kidnappers

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested four suspected kidnappers in Rivers State, rescued an 11-year-old abducted boy in Cross River State and apprehended 17 Cameroonian nationals over suspected clandestine activities, among several operational developments recorded across the country on October 10.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anthony Iniedu, disclosed the developments in a state-by-state summary of police operations released from the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

In Rivers State, police operatives arrested four suspects allegedly linked to the kidnapping of 24-year-old Gift Malekwe along the Igwuruta-Etche Road.

According to the police, the suspects confessed to the crime and other kidnapping incidents, allegedly revealing that they used dating sites to lure victims before abducting them. The State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Port Harcourt, is investigating the case.

In Cross River State, operatives rescued an 11-year-old boy who had allegedly been abducted and found tied up in a suspect’s room with head injuries.

The police arrested the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Abashi John, and took him into custody for investigation. The SCID in Calabar is handling the case.

In Benue State, police arrested 17 Cameroonian nationals following what the force described as credible intelligence about their alleged clandestine activities.

The police said the suspects entered Nigeria without valid travel documents and remained in custody as investigations continued. The SCID in Makurdi is investigating the matter.

In Anambra State, operatives arrested a 27-year-old suspect, Chidera Anthony, over an alleged armed robbery in Awka involving Mrs Kate Mba.

The victim was reportedly dispossessed of valuables, including a mobile phone, a point-of-sale machine and ₦40,000 in cash.

Police said they recovered the victim’s purse, an unregistered Tiger motorcycle, an axe and other items from the suspect’s hideout. Efforts were ongoing to arrest his alleged accomplice, who remained at large.

Meanwhile, police and military personnel intensified search-and-rescue operations in Borno State following the abduction of 38-year-old Yusuf Tahir, a driver attached to GISCOR.

Tahir was reportedly abducted by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) or Boko Haram members at Kareto in Mobbar Local Government Area while driving from Maiduguri to Damasak.

The security teams were working to secure his release and arrest those responsible. The SCID in Maiduguri is investigating the incident.

In Ogun State, armed men reportedly abducted a Chinese national, Liyuan Xiao, and his manager, identified only as Sunday, at a site in Erimobi, Saapade.

The police said six armed men carried out the abduction, adding that spent AK-47 ammunition shells were recovered at the scene. Tactical teams were combing surrounding bushes in an effort to rescue the victims and apprehend the suspects. The SCID in Eleweran is investigating the case.

In Zamfara State, an attack by suspected armed bandits at Bardoki Village in Gummi Local Government Area left one person dead and two others injured.

The deceased was identified as Marka Muhammad. According to the police, military personnel attached to Operation Fansan Yamma at the Gayari Forward Operating Base were alerted but arrived after the attackers had fled.

Security personnel were conducting tracking and search operations, while the SCID in Gusau continued its investigation.

In Bauchi State, two commercial motorcyclists were reportedly attacked with sharp objects near Zidanga Village. One of them, 25-year-old Gaddafi Ibrahim, was confirmed dead, while his colleague was receiving medical treatment.

The assailants allegedly stole two Boxer motorcycles valued at ₦2 million. Police said efforts were underway to track down the suspects and recover the stolen motorcycles.

Separately, police in Anambra continued efforts to apprehend the remaining suspect in the Awka robbery, while investigations into the reported cases across the affected states remained ongoing.

The police said the operations formed part of its nationwide security efforts, with investigations and searches continuing in several cases involving kidnapping, robbery, homicide and suspected trafficking-related activities.