The Rivers State Police Command, says it arrested nineteen kidnappers within the month of June, 2011 in the state, while six others were killed.

The Commissioner of Police of the Command, Mr Suleiman Abba disclosed this yesterday while briefing newsmen over the command’s activities in the last one month in Port Harcourt.

The Police Commissioner also disclosed that sixty armed robbers were arrested in the same month of June 2011 in the state.

Mr Abba further said that the command also paraded a medical student alleged to be member of armed robbery gang operating along the Choba-NTA road in the state.

He said the suspected armed robber student was arrested by the special police patrol team in the area few days ago.

The commissioner of police used the opportunity to assure the general public of adequate security throughout the period of the 17th National Sports Festival in the state..

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Suleiman Abba has said that over sixteen thousand police officers and hundred of other security personnel have been deployed  to mount security for the sport festival in the state.

He said the police would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the participants and the general public including properties were secured in the state.

In another development, the police in Aba, Abia State have intensified their search for a seven-day-old baby boy who was allegedly abducted by gunmen who stormed the home of his parents on June 27.

Our correspondent  reports that the family of Mr Sunday Njoku of Amaise Umuokerengwa, in Obingwa Local government Area of Abia State, is seriously traumatised that it was yet to hear from the abductors of the baby.

A family source told newsmen that two unidentified gunmen stormed the home of the couple at about 2.45am and took away the baby at gun-point.

He said that efforts made so far to reach the abductors had been futile, which had aggravated their concern for the health of the baby, said to be the fifth in the family.

Mr Rabiu Dayi, the Aba Area Police Commander, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent yesterday, said the police had already swung into action and scaled up their investigation.

Meanwhile, members of the community have become apprehensive over the incident, which they described as very strange in the area.

They told newsmen that some soldiers currently on security assignment under ‘‘Operation Jubilee” in Obingwa Local Government Area were cooperating with them and had adopted a common strategy to fish out the abductors.

They said some members of the community had already been questioned over the incident.

Meanwhile, the father of the seven-day-old baby abducted in Amaise Umuokerengwa community of Abia State, Mr Sunday Njoku,  has appealed to the abductors to free his son.

The baby, the fifth in the family, was abducted at about 2:45 a.m. on Monday by two unidentified gunmen.

Njoku, who said he had yet to hear from the abductors, urged them to release the child and save the family from further agony.

He said further that efforts made so far to reach the abductors had been futile.

Mr Rabiu Dayi, Aba Area Police Commander, who confirmed the incident to newsmen yesterday, said it was being investigated.

Residents of the community, however, had become apprehensive over the incident as it was unprecedented.

Our correspondent gathered that soldiers in the “ Operation Jubilee’’ security outfit in the area had met with the villagers to adopt a common strategy to fish out the abductors.