The Rivers State Police Command has rescued abducted female lawyer, Barrister Paulette Bisola Ajayi and one Paul Nyulaku (m) of British High Commission, Abuja, from their abductors.
The duo were allegedly kidnapped on October 4, 2020, at different locations in Port Harcourt by unknown gunmen.
The state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan while briefing newsmen on the milestone in his office, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said that operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command in a sting operation, last Wednesday night at about 21.30hrs, stormed the forest at Okomoko in Etche Local Government Aarea of the state where Miss Paulette Bisola Ajayi and Mr Paul Nyulaku were kept and rescued them unhurt.
Mukan averred that Miss Bisola Ajayi was abducted at her residence in Rumuokurushi on October 4, 2020, while Mr Paul Nyulaku was kidnapped same day at Mgbuoba along NTA Road, all in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, in the wake of the operation, one of the kidnappers, Chinedu Chigbu (male), who was keeping watch over them was arrested while another was fatally wounded in the exchange of gunfire, adding that he was confirmed dead at the hospital where he was rushed to.
“Their camp was immediately destroyed. Exhibits recovered from them include one AK-47 rifle, a fully-loaded magazine and 100 rounds of live ammunition.
“Efforts are on to arrest other fleeing members of the gang”, he stated.
He used the opportunity to call on members of the public, particularly residents of Etche and Omuma LGAs, to increase security consciousness and report anybody with gunshot wounds to the nearest police station.
In a related development, the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, said that the police have recovered a two-week old baby sold by her grandmother at the cost N1.3million.
Mukan said that detectives at the Trans Amadi Police Station, while investigating a case of child trafficking, reported on September 25, 2020, by one Christian Duru (m), the father of the baby and his wife, Antonia Joseph, discovered that with connivance of his mother-in-law, one Anthonia Amos (f), sold the two-week old baby at the cost N1.3million.
According to him, in the course of investigation, the mother-in-law was arrested, and on interrogation, she led the detectives to Ukanafun LGA in Akwa lbom State where one Pauline Umoh, (female) was arrested, adding that she later led the police to Mgbidi in Imo State, where the buyer, one Juliana Obianwa (female) was arrested and the baby recovered.
The CP, however, said that the baby boy has been released to the mother, adding that the arrested suspects were in police custody assisting the police on how to track and arrest other members of the syndicate.
Meanwhile, the freed Port Harcourt-based female lawyer, Miss Bisola Ajayi, has disclosed that she escaped death by divine providence, following the timely intervention of operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Rivers State Command.
Miss Ajayi, who disclosed that her captors increased their ransom from N50million to N200million, said the boys that kidnapped her last Sunday, had concluded to take her to the swamp to be killed before policemen suddenly appeared.
She made the disclosure while fielding questions from reporters shortly after the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, had briefed the media on her release.
The lawyer said the hoodlums became afraid of how news about her abduction had gone round and had resolved on Wednesday night to kill her.
Ajayi narrated: “On Sunday evening, I was taken (kidnapped) by unknown gunmen in front of my house. They shot at me and took me in front of my family members. In fact, they told me they came for my family members.
“I didn’t know where they kept me. But, they asked for ransom of N50million. By the next day, the ransom went up to N200million because everybody has reported that I was missing.
“In fact, as at yesterday (Wednesday), they had decided that they would kill me. I want to thank everyone that ensured that I came home alive.
“Some of the boys were violent, they kept on beating me. But, there were a few of them that told me that they would let me go if the ransom is paid.
“There was one of them, in particular, that was surprised that I didn’t have a bullet wound. He thought that I have some charm on me. So, he kept on checking my body. I told him no, that it was Jesus Christ that saved me.
“They were looking for how to kill me because they were certain that with the news that had gone round, somehow, something was going to go wrong. So, they planned yesterday night to move me into the swamp to kill me. So, the Police came just in time. All I could do is just to pray”, she stated.
The lady, however, thanked Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, Nigerian Bar Association and others that contributed to her safe rescue.
“I just want to thank the Governor of Rivers State (Nyesom Wike), the state Commissioner of Police (Joseph Mukan), National President of Nigeria Bar Association and Chairman of Port Harcourt branch of NBA, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and everyone that put in the effort to get me freed from them (kidnappers)”, she said.
Her rescue came barely two days after the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, disclosed that preliminary investigation had revealed the gang behind her abduction.
He disclosed this when members of the task force set up by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to secure the release of the young female lawyer visited him in Port Harcourt.