By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Police operatives in Anambra State have arrested two members of a suspected kidnapping gang who were allegedly involved in a high-profile case of abduction, armed robbery, and attempted murder in Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state.
The two suspects, identified as Onele Solomon (a.k.a. Federal) and Simeon Chidera (a.k.a. Chaplet), both aged 23, were apprehended in the early hours of Tuesday, June 25, 2025, by officers attached to the Rapid Response Squad of the Command.
According to a statement issued by the Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the suspects and their gang members — some of whom are currently on the run — allegedly specialized in luring unsuspecting victims into the bush under the pretext of selling land to them, only to abduct and rob them.
He said the duo was specifically fingered in the abduction of a victim on May 31, 2025, during which they dispossessed the victim of his personal belongings and inflicted him with life-threatening machete wounds before holding him hostage in a criminal den. He added that the kidnappers also demanded ransom from the victim’s family and associates while keeping him in captivity.
However, as fate may it, the victim managed to escape from the den and was later debriefed by the police operatives, leading to the breakthrough that resulted in the arrest of the two suspects.
Following their arrest, the Command confirmed that it had launched an intensive operation based on the suspects’ confessions to apprehend other members of the gang and to dismantle the entire criminal network operating within the area.
The police reassured the public of their commitment to ridding the state of criminal elements and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.
