The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris, has warned criminals, especially kidnappers in the country, never to think that Nigeria is lawless. IGP Idris gave the warning when operatives of the IGP’s Intelligent Response Team (IRT) arrested a notorious kidnapping gang known to have been terrorising law-abiding citizens in Rivers State and its environs.

“The gang met its end when they kidnapped a woman and her one year old daughter from her Port Harcourt home, demanding the sum of N2.5 million as ransom for their freedom. Based on credible technical intelligence generated by the IRT, this was however, agreed upon as bait,” the Police said in a statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Don Awunah.

According to him, the end of the kidnapping gang came when in their attempt to claim the said sum of money at the agreed point; Operatives of IRT engaged them, rescued the victims and arrested four of the kidnappers who gave their names as: Herbert Oriminagbe, Chijioke Akah, alias Kottos, Kelechi Nwaordu, alias Seedof and Nelson Ajumogobia alias Ibios.

In their confessional statements, the gang members were said to have admitted that they were also responsible for the kidnap of one Undunobuk and other innocent Nigerians. Going through a laptop computer recovered from them, it was discovered that the real owner Undunobuk was once robbed in his Port Harcourt residence and later kidnapped and taken to unknown seaside only to be released on the payment of N1.3 million.

The IGP said the Nigeria Police Force has the technical and intelligence capacity and capability to reduce the perceived rise in crime, especially kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other forms of violent crime. He therefore charged Nigerians to always inform the police when they perceived any act of criminality and avail necessary credible information.

•Photo shows the kidnap suspects Herbert Oriminagbe, Chijioke Akah, Kelechi Nwaordu and Nelson Ajumogobia.