The Kaduna State Police Command, on Friday, handed over a notorious Abuja kidnapper, Phillip Chinaza, to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
Chinaza was arrested in Kaduna on Thursday when him and his gang members (now at large) were taking a victim, Segun Akinyemi, from Abuja to Kano State when the police swooped in on them, according to the Kaduna Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan.
Confirming receipt of Chinaza alongside some arms and a mobile phone on Friday, the FCT Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said more details would be revealed soon.
SP Adeh said, “The FCT Police Command wishes to confirm the arrest of one Chinaza Phillip, a notorious Abuja kidnapper, by police operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command on Thursday, January 17, 2024.
“The suspect has been handed over to the FCT Police Command today Friday, January 19, 2024, and he’s currently in police custody. More details will be communicated soon.”
According to Punch, there was an exchange of gunfire on Thursday as police officers rescued an Abuja resident, Akinyemi, who was kidnapped just as he was driving out of his home.
The kidnappers were taking Akinyemi from Abuja to Kano State when the police swooped in on them, according to the Kaduna Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan.
He said on January 18, 2024, operatives attached to Kawo Divisional Headquarters, Kaduna, received a distress call of a kidnapping incident from Abuja.
He noted that they were alerted that the culprits and their victim were transiting through Kaduna.
Hassan said, “The Operatives, at about 0010 hours, blocked a grey Toyota Hilux van with registration number Abuja RBC 90 DC, carrying four passengers, the driver inclusive, suspected to be the vehicle conveying the kidnappers and their victim.
“On sensing danger and in an effort to escape, one of the kidnappers fired at the Policemen, and they responded accordingly. In the resulting gun duel, the victim, a certain Segun Akinyemi of block 10, flat 2 FCDA quarters Area 3 Garki, Abuja, was rescued, and one of the kidnappers, a 28-year-old Chinaza Philip of Life Camp Abuja, was arrested.”
The police further noted that the three other suspects who escaped are being trailed, adding that the vehicle belonging to the victim, two Retay G17 model pistols, one Beretta pistol, ten 9mm P.A.K ammunitions, and five 9mm special ammunitions were recovered from the kidnappers.
He said preliminary inquiries revealed that the victim was abducted on January 17, 2024, by the kidnappers just when he was leaving his home situated at the aforementioned address.
He said the three escaped suspects were Chidibere Nwodibo of Life Camp, Abuja, one Auwal (surname unknown), and the gang leader, whose identity is yet to be ascertained.
The kidnappers were transporting their victim to Kano before they were intercepted by the Police.
The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Police Command, A D Ali, while commending the Operatives for the brave feat, still tasked them to continuously go after criminal elements in the State.
He called on the members of the public to avail themselves of security agencies’ hotlines for any distress call requiring a prompt response.