The Anambra State Police Command has killed a kidnap kingpin and arrested some members of the gang in their hideout at Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.
The kingpin, identified as Chinedu Ajogu, also known as Sampolo, was said to have been terrorising the state with his criminal gangs.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, said the operation was based on the arrest of one of the gang members, who was also identified as Emeka.
According to Ikenga, Emeka led the police team to the hideout of the gang at Oba in the Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.
Ikenga said, “Based on intelligence gathered which indicated the location of a kidnap victim in Neni town in Anaocha Local Government Area, police operatives working with the vigilante stormed the location on Sunday and rescued the victim and arrested one Emeka, who was suspected of complicity in the crime.
“Upon interrogation, he confessed to the crime and led the detectives to the hideout of the other gang members in Oba, Idemili South LGA, where detectives engaged the gangsters in a shoot out.
“The gang leader, one Chinedu Ajogu, (a.k.a. Sampolo) was gunned down and five others including their native doctors were arrested.
Ikenga said the Police recovered many items including one SMG rifle, one berretta pistol, two locally-made revolver pistols, one dagger, one Biafran flag, two pairs of ESN flags, two pairs of ESN uniforms, two web belts, two berrets, assorted charms and one Akura SUV snatched from a victim”.
He added that four of the kidnapped victims whose ages range from 40-60 were rescued.
The police noted that the suspects, including a native doctor, arrested in connection with the killing of a lawmaker are currently in custody and are being interrogated with a view to extracting more information on their involvement in previous crimes.
Ikenga said, “More suspects are being arrested in connection with criminal activities and killings in the state and very soon, the police will unveil them to the public after investigations have been concluded”.
Similarly, the police confirmed the burning down of a vigilante van at the Nkpor junction, where some hoodlums had attacked some men of the vigilante team late on Sunday.
“The hoodlums, while fleeing from the police came across a van parked by the Vigilante team at Nkpor. The hoodlums thought it was a police van and they shot the fuel tank area of the vehicle and the vehicle caught fire”, Ikenga said.
He added that a manhunt has been launched by all security agencies in the country to apprehend those behind the heinous act.
“Those who attacked innocent people worshipping in the house of God are the enemies. They are nothing more than cowardly savages and animals. I can assure however that the entire security system of Nigeria is on the trail of the enemies that sneaked in on us to wreak this havoc. We are on their trail, they will be apprehended and made to pay dearly for this unprovoked attack”, he said.