Police arrest five suspects for multiple abduction, sexual abuse, car theft
Joy Joseph, Lagos
Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), has arrested five members of a syndicate that specialise in abducting women and girls driving in exotic vehicles, sexually abuse them, before seeking ransom for their release.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, who disclosed the arrest of the suspects in a statement on Sunday, said that the terror gang had been unleashing mayhem on the South-South region of the country.
Adamu stated that the arrest followed the action plan being implemented by the Force to curb Sexual and Gender Based Violence, particularly all forms of abuse on women and children in the country.
The IGP in the statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, gave the identities of the suspects as: Osinachi Ngwakwe, 22, Sammy Junior Inordee, 27, Epo-Bari Nwolu, 26, Yabari Gbarale, 29, and Barine Yilda, 30.
He said: “The plan is yielding positive results. The five members of the kidnap for ransom gang specialised in the abduction of women and the girl child, sexually abusing them and obtaining ransom from their families before their release.
“Their arrest followed a massive manhunt by the Force for the perpetrators of the recent trend of abduction of women in some States in the South-South part of the country, especially Port Harcourt and its environs.
“The victims are subjected to series of sexual abuses and ransom demanded from their families before their release. Investigations reveal that the suspects target lone female drivers of Porsche cars as they drive out of offices, shopping malls or any vulnerable places.
“They thereafter, trail them to lonely roads, abduct and take them to their criminal hideouts, sexually abuse them and demand ransom from their families before their release. They also sell off their exotic cars.”
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The IGP stated that four AK47 rifles, one double barrel shotgun and set of military camouflage uniforms suspected to have been illegally acquired, which they wear to beat security checks, were all recovered.
“Effort is being intensified to arrest other fleeing gang members and recover more weapons and stolen vehicles used by the suspects for their operations,” he added.
Meanwhile, the IGP also revealed that a total of 2,792 suspects were arrested by the police for Sexual and Gender Based Violence and other sexual related offences in the year 2020.
He stated that the arrests were linked to the 2,573 cases currently being prosecuted under the Force Gender Unit in various courts across the country.
Adding that others are still under active investigations, the IGP enjoined parents and guardians to keep a close watch on their children and wards and report any incidents of abuse against women and children.
He expressed his displeasure with the prevailing culture of silence in concealing crimes against women and children and called for improved collaboration with the Police, assuring that the Force is well repositioned to protect women and children and confront violent crimes in the country.
“All the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations, ” he assured.
