The Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, on Saturday, paraded Chinaza Philip Okoye alongside 16 other suspects arrested for kidnapping and other violent crimes committed in the nation’s capital.
Okoye was handed over to FCT Police Command on Friday by operatives of Kaduna State Police Command, who arrested him on Thursday, while transportating an abductee from Abuja to Kano, in company of three other members of his gang, now at large.
Parading the suspect on Saturday, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), revealed that the suspect, who is on court bail, is standing trial for similar offences.
Adejobi said: “In a proactive move, following a report on the abduction of a victim from his house along with his Hilux Van with Reg. No. RBC 90 DL Gray colour by four armed men who disguised in a white Mercedez Benz 230 car, Police Operatives in an intelligence propelled investigation discovered that the victim was being taken to Kano State, but was dispossessed of his ATM cards at Kaduna while the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) was transferred from his account.
“The suspects however ran out of luck as they were intercepted by Police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna where three of them escaped, while one by the name Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael was arrested, the victim rescued unhurt, and the said Hilux Van recovered.
“It was discovered that Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and his accomplices had earlier been arrested sometime in November 2023 and charged for similar offences, at the High Court, Kwali, Abuja, but went back to committing even worse crimes while on court bail.”
A follow up statement from the Force Public Relations Officer on the other suspects and arms recovered, reads in part:
“Amongst the suspects paraded today were the three (3) Bwari-based kidnappers- Idris Ishaku, m, 27 years, Bala Umar, m, 27 years, and Dahiru Salisu, m, 27 years, who have been responsible for series of armed robbery cases and kidnappings in the Bwari Local Government Area and other parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“Similarly, the combined team of operatives have arrested thirteen (13) suspects for various other crimes. Amongst the achievements recorded is the foiling of another kidnap plot through technical intelligence resulting in the arrest of the above-named Bwari-based kidnappers, and weapons recovered from them.
“Also, operatives of the DFI-IRT office intercepted one Everest Magaji, a gunrunner, during negotiation with some notorious bandits who are currently at large for the purchase and supply of illicit firearms and ammunition. Eleven (11) Pistols, and Two (2) Pump Action Guns were recovered from the suspect.”
In the wake of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the Federal Capital Territory, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, in an effort to combat these menace, recently launched the Special Intervention Squad (SIS), towards fortifying the security landscape in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Special Intervention Squad through collaborative efforts with the Department of Force Intelligence – Intelligence Response Team (DFI-IRT), the FCT Command Anti-Violent Crimes Section, Anti-kidnapping Section and other State Commands, Squad is already recording successful apprehension of notorious criminals and recovery of arsenal of arms and ammunition including a general purpose machine gun (GPMG).
The IGP urged all citizens to be very observant of their environs and the people in it, and as well report any suspicious activity immediately to the police.
ACP Adejobi noted that the achievements recorded through these relentless operations demonstrate the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of IGP Egbetokun, is to ensure Nigeria becomes a safe haven for all to inhibit.