The Nigeria Police yesterday paraded a notorious Abuja kidnapper, Chinaza Philip-Okoye, on a stretcher at the Force Intelligence Response Team base, Guzape, in the Federal Capital Territory.
The suspect, The Guardian learnt, sustained serious injuries after he was shot by police officers following the interception of his gang at a filling station last Thursday night.
Philip-Okoye was arrested by a combined team of FCT and Kaduna police officers in Kaduna last Thursday when the police swooped in on him and his gang members who are currently at large while they were taking a victim, Segun Akinyemi, from Abuja to Kano State.
It was gathered that Akinyemi’s abduction was reported to the police when the kidnappers drove through Rita Lori, Garki, Abuja, and all police within the FCT and neighbouring states of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, and Kogi formations were alerted.
Parading the suspect, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects ran out of luck as they were intercepted by police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna where three of them escaped, while one by them, Philip-Okoye, was arrested, and the victim rescued unhurt.
Adejobi said: “In a proactive move, following a report on the abduction of a victim from his house along with his Hilux Van with Reg. No. RBC 90 DL Gray colour by four armed men who disguised in a white Mercedez Benz 230 car, Police Operatives in an intelligence-propelled investigation discovered that the victim was being taken to Kano State, but was dispossessed of his ATM cards at Kaduna while the sum of N500,000.00 was transferred from his account.
“The suspects however ran out of luck as they were intercepted by Police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna where three of them escaped; while one by the name Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael was arrested, the victim rescued unhurt, and the said Hilux Van recovered. It was discovered that Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and his accomplices had earlier been arrested sometime in November 2023 and charged for similar offences, at the High Court, Kwali, Abuja, but went back to committing even worse crimes while on court bail.”
The Kaduna State Police Command had last Friday handed over Chinaza Philip-Okoye to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
The police also paraded one Everest Magaji, a gunrunner, who was intercepted during negotiation with some notorious bandits who are currently at large, for the purchase and supply of illicit firearms and ammunition.
“Eleven pistols and two pump action guns were recovered from the suspect.
“The achievements recorded through these relentless operations demonstrate the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of Inspector-General of Police to ensure our country becomes a safe haven for us to inhabit.
“The IGP urges all citizens to be very observant of their environs and the people in it, and report any suspicious activity immediately to the police,” Adejobi said.
