16 kidnap suspects nabbed in Abia

Mr. Leye Oyebade, Abia State Commissioner of Police

The Abia State Police Command on Monday said it had arrested 16 suspected kidnappers and some suspected armed robbers alleged to have been terrorising residents of the state.

Mr Leye Oyebade, the state Commissioner of Police made this known at a news briefing at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia.

Oyebade vowed that the command would deal decisively with criminal acts in the state and warned criminals to engage in legitimate business or leave the state.

The commissioner alleged that the suspected kidnappers abducted two relatives on Friday in Aba, while the victims were returning from a pharmaceutical shop.

According to the police boss, the suspects took the victims to their hideout in Uratta, from where they demanded N2 million as ransom.

He said that the police immediately trailed the suspects to their hideout where they rescued the victims and arrested two of the suspects while others escaped.

Narrating their experience to newsmen, the victims said they were accosted on their way from a pharmacy at about 9 p.m. by the suspects at gunpoint.

He said that they were blindfolded by the suspects and then taken to their hideout.

He said that they were asked to call their relations to bring N2 million ransom, adding that they rejected their offer of N500,000.

“They asked us to call our relations to bring N2 million ransom for them and rejected the N500,000 offer we made and threatened to kill us,” he said.

The victim said, “to our greatest surprise, a team of policemen came to the hideout on Sunday and rescued us.”

He thanked the police for their timely intervention saying, “I am now fully convinced that the Nigeria police are working”.

One of the suspects, who identified himself as Nwobilor and a mechanic apprentice in Ugwunagbo, near Aba, admitted to committing the crime.

Nwobilor said that he was invited “to watch over the victims” by the prime suspect, who was said to have escaped during the raid of the hideout.

He said that last Friday’s incident was his third experience and pleaded with the police for leniency.

Comments

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...

Global Naija Info

Search This Blog