Abia State command of the Nigeria Police has arrested a suspected serial kidnapper, a scammer, and 11 others involved in various other crimes in the state.
The state commissioner for police, Mustapha Bala stated this in his maiden press briefing one month after his assumption of office in Umuahia, the state capital.
Represented by the police public relations officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna he said under his watch the command is poised to maintain peaceful and calm disposition in the state.
According to him, “To maintain and improve on this feat, the command is not leaving any stone unturned in her efforts towards fighting crime and criminality.”
He said the suspect, who is a member of a gang of dreaded kidnappers was involved in the kidnapping of three persons from different locations and days for which he was paid about N2m as ransom
“Further investigation revealed that he was among the gang that kidnapped one Mrs Shullamit Shericks sometime in August 2022 and was released after a ransom of N3m was paid.”
The commissioner said the scammer converted to his own use the sum of $10,000 mistakenly paid into his bank account No. 2038600188 and later absconded.
The others are suspected of illegal possession of arms, Biafran currency, hard drugs, weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp, armed robbery, rape, gun running, cultism, obtaining by fraud, and conspiracy.
Bala, therefore, said the command would not rest on her efforts in ensuring that the residents and visitors enjoy the forthcoming Yuletide peacefully.
“Let me also use this opportunity to admonish all road users to always ply the roads with utmost care and remember that someone somewhere cares for them,” the police chief added.
Speaking separately to newsmen when they were paraded at the command headquarters, the suspects which included a lady informant for fraudsters, could not give coherent and satisfactory responses to the allegations.
