The Nigerian Police, On Monday, at the Police Headquarters in Abuja, Paraded a gang of six kidnappers that were allegedly responsibly for several high profile kidnappings in Kaduna and other States across the country.

Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, said the arrest of the suspects was a result of the efforts of the force under Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who had ordered that no criminal enterprise flourishes in the country undetected.

Awunah narrated how the “vicious and very notorious kidnap gang” was arrested by men of the IGP Intelligence Response Team, IRT, on January 1, 2017 after sustained surveillance.

He said the gang had terrorised Kaduna and its neighbouring States, and were “responsible for the kidnap of several important personalities in the recent past.

The paraded suspects are Dominic Nwakpa aka Alhaji, Ifeanyi Chukwu, Balat Paul, Ibrahim Samuel aka IB, Jatau Peter, Clinton Abere and Afini Paul – Younger sister to the driver of the gang and also owner of the house where kidnapped victims are kept.

The Force spokesman narrated that “the gang was smashed with the arrest of Dominic Nwakpa, A.K.A ALHAJI, who is the gang leader, in Lagos state, while four other principal suspects and members of the gang, namely Balat Paul, driver of the gang, Ibrahim Samuel aka “IB” and Jatau Peter – a dismissed Policeman were arrested on the 1st January, 2017 in their hideouts at Dan Hassan Road Ungwa Boro Kaduna.”

He added that Afini Paul “a female member who cooks for the gang and the victims, rented the house at Yusuf Patrick close, Mararaba Rido, Kaduna where victims are kept before ransom money is collected, was arrested at their hideout in Kaduna.

“Ifeanyi Chukwu the 2nd in command of the gang was arrested in a Hotel at the Ogbor Hill area of (Aba) Abia State,” and he confessed to be among the gang that “kidnapped a former Minister of State for foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bagudu Hirse on the 20th November, 2016 in GRA, Kaduna and collected ransom before he was released,” Awunah stated.

Chukwu also confessed of having participated in many other kidnappings within and outside Kaduna, Abia, Imo, Rivers, and Delta States.

The Force PRO also stated that “The same gang confessed to the kidnap of Dr. Abdulmalik Durunguwa and his wife in their residence at different intervals in Kaduna. Ransom was also collected by the gang from the family of the victims before they were released.

“A Member of Kaduna State House of Assembly Hon. Ibrahim Samaila was also kidnapped by the gang on 26/8/2016 at Abakpa area of Kaduna State and an undisclosed ransom money was collected by the gang before his release,” he added.

Awunah said that the last suspect Clinton Abere was trailed and arrested in a Hotel in Lagos on January 6 after he tried to escape by jumping out of the window of his hotel room on sighting policemen.

“He is currently receiving treatment at Police Hospital from injury he sustained in the process of attempting to escape arrest,” he said, before adding that “All the seven suspects … confessed and admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crimes (and) will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.

Items recovered from the suspects include: 2 English made Pump Action Guns, 131 rounds of AK 47 ammunition, Police Camouflage uniform, two Military face caps, 2 Operational vehicles, among others.

In a related development, the Force PRO told journalists that two other suspects were arrested for “criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.”

They are: Maisamari Dan Katsina and Bulus Jatau, a Dismissed Police man.

1 Pump Action gun, 1 Berretta Pistol, 4 English Revolver pistols, 50 rounds of 9mm live ammunition and 1 expended, 31 live cartridges, 1 fake firearm license, 1 Golf car, 1 Prado Jeep, 1 Toyota cricket, 1 Toyota corolla and 1 set of camouflage Police uniform was recovered from the suspects.

“Effort is being intensified to arrest the remaining members of this notorious gang at large. They will be charged to court on completion of investigation,” Awunah stated.

The Force spokesman reiterated the resolve of the IGP as well as that of the entire Police Force “to work assiduously to further reduce the rate of crime and criminality across the Country, especially kidnap for ransom and other violent crimes.”

He urged Nigerians “to always be law abiding, volunteer useful information to the Police in their localities and see themselves as stakeholders with the Force in making the country safer.”