The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abia State Command, apprehended a 35-year-old individual believed to be a kidnapper.

The suspect, identified as Kingsley Ogbonna, was taken into custody by the command’s Special Force (SF) for his alleged involvement in a kidnapping incident on June 29.

During their routine patrol, NSCDC operatives received distress calls from reliable informants regarding suspicious activities in a specific building located at Alaoji Mkputu, Ugwunagbo Local Government Area of the state.

Acting swiftly, the operatives discovered the suspect and three of his accomplices, who managed to evade arrest at the time.

The kidnapped victim, who had endured five days of captivity at the hands of these criminals, was successfully rescued by the NSCDC team.

State Commandant Paul Igwebuike spoke to journalists at the command headquarters in Umuahia, confirming the arrest and providing details about the operation.

It is important to note that the three remaining accomplices are currently at large, and authorities are actively pursuing them to bring them to justice.

“The victim was kidnapped and whisked away in his car while at the gate of his house in Aba as he was waiting for the gateman to open the gate for him to drive in.

“After moving their victim to a place that they considered to be a safe for them, they started demanding a whooping ransom of N100 million. Although they later reduced the ransom to N10 million, our joy is that the victim was successfully released without ransom and has since been reunited with the family after undergoing medical examination and treatment”, the Commandant said.

According to him, the initial inquiry exposed that the suspect was part of a ruthless kidnapping gang consisting of four individuals.

This gang was allegedly responsible for numerous high-profile abduction cases in the state. He further stated that active measures were being taken to apprehend them and ensure they face justice.

In connection with the suspect, Igwebuike mentioned that several items were seized, including an AK45 Assault Rifle, a Magazine, 21 rounds of live ammunition, a cutlass, and seven ATM cards with various names from different commercial banks.