Kogi Police command nabs kidnappers, rescue 10 victims
IDRIS AHMED, Lokoja.
Following the implementation of enhanced security measures, four dare-devil kidnappers were apprehended in Kogi State.
A joint security operation launched by the Nigerian Police in collaboration with a private security outfit commissioned by the Kogi State government on Tuesday led to the rescue of several victims and the capture of four suspected kidnappers.
The kidnappers were allegedly terrorizing the Ajaokuta axis, committing kidnapping, rape, and robbery, prompting the State Government to engage a private security firm, Base SAN Security Nigeria Ltd, to collaborate with the Police in apprehending them.
According to sources, the kidnappers’ luck ran out when police officers, in collaboration with a private security outfit, apprehended them, resulting in the rescue of ten kidnapped victims being held by the gang in parts of Kogi East.
In a statement confirming the arrest of the kidnappers and the rescue of the victims, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications disclosed that the arrested kidnappers are cooperating with investigators and that the rescued victims will be reunited with their families.
He said, “We can confirm that the efforts of the Ododo Administration in engaging duly registered security outfits to work with conventional security agencies are already paying off.
One of the engaged security outfits, Base SAN Security Nigeria Ltd, has achieved success in collaboration with the Police, resulting in the apprehension of several kidnappers who have been terrorizing Ajaokuta residents and travelers on the road to other parts of the country.
“They acted on a credible intelligence and confronted the kidnappers numbering about four, who were overpowered and arrested, leading to the rescue of ten victims in their custody”, the Commissioner said.
Fanwo assured that the State Government is committed to making Kogi State the safest in Nigeria, as Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has pledged to spare no effort in ensuring that Kogi remains a safe haven for everyone.
” We are too central to Nigeria to fail this country. The Governor is deploying every resource at his disposal to make sure the state is rid of criminal elements.
“The Ajaokuta breakthrough is a warning signal to criminals around the state that the present administration is prepared to make Kogi a safe place for all”, he said.
He expressed gratitude to the Kogi State Police Command and Base SAN Security Nigeria Ltd for their prompt response in apprehending the gang terrorizing the Ajaokuta area of the state.
He said the state government will continue supporting security agencies in carrying out their duties to ensure the security of lives and property.
He also confirmed that the suspected kidnappers are currently being held in Police custody for further investigation and prosecution.
