12th August, 2015
Police in Anambra on Tuesday said no fewer than 10 suspected kidnappers were apprehended by officers and men of the command between January and July, 2015.
The police authorities said that the arrests were made by the Onitsha Area Command, which also arrested 15 robbery suspects and recovered 11 stolen vehicles in the area during the period.
The Police Area Commander for Onitsha, Mr Philip Ezekiel, told newsmen in Onitsha that policing the commercial city and environs was a difficult task.
He, however, said that the command’s achievement was with the cooperation of the state government, the people and assistance from police high command.
Ezekiel said that the arrest of the suspects had led to the reduction in the number of criminal operating on motorcycles, adding that prosecution of some of the suspects had commenced in various courts in the state.
He commended the state governor, Willie Obiano, for putting security in the front burner of government’s activities.
He disclosed that the command had increased the number of policemen and patrol vans at the “notorious Upper Iweka axis in Onitsha and other black spots”.
He reminded revenue collectors in Onitsha of a directive from the Inspector-General of Police, banning such collectors from operating on the highways.
“Any one caught doing so or harassing innocent citizens in the name of revenue collection will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” the commander warned.