Molly Kilete, Abuja

The police force headquarters in Abuja has announced the arrest of three suspected kidnappers said to be responsible for the abduction of a Channels Television reporter, Mr Friday Okeregbe, on March, 22 in Abuja.

Okeregbe was abducted at a location in Lugbe along the Abuja international airport road while returning from a mechanical workshop, where he had gone to repair his car.

The suspects, Hanniel Patrick, 29, from Akwa Ibom State, Abdulwahab Isah, 28, and Salisu Mohammed, 32, both from Kogi State, were arrested at various parts of Abuja by men of the anti-kidnapping unit.

The journalist was taken to the kidnappers’ den somewhere in Karimo, Abuja where he was held for days and kept incommunicado with his family.

Items recovered from the suspects include a locally made revolver gun, three live AK-47 ammunitions, one battle axe, phones and masks with which they blindfold their victims.

Force public relations officer Frank Mba, who made this known in a statement, said the suspects who have made useful statement to the police, confessed that Friday Okeregbe was not their original target.

Mba in the statement said “In line with the IGP’s stated commitment to curb all forms of crimes and criminality, especially incidences of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country, Police Operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder, acting on intelligence report, on 9th April, 2019 at about 6:30 AM arrested three (3) notorious persons involved in the kidnap of Channels Television’s staff, Mr Friday Okeregbe.

“The suspects: Hanniel Patrick, ‘m’, 29 years, from Akwa Ibom State, Abdulwahab Isah, ‘m’, 28 years, and Salisu Mohammed, ‘m’, 32 years, both from Kogi State have made useful statement to the Police.

“Meanwhile, investigation reveals that Mr Friday Okeregbe was not originally the intended target of the vicious criminals. However, on that fateful day, 22nd March, 2019, at 07:45 PM, he was kidnapped when the kidnappers saw him parking his vehicle at a location in Lugbe, Abuja. Investigation further reveals that the victim was taken to the kidnappers’ den somewhere in Karimo, Abuja and kept incommunicado afterwards.

“The Police have also recovered from the kidnappers a locally made revolver gun, three (3) live AK47 ammunitions, a battle axe, phones and masks with which they blindfold their victims. Effort is being intensified to arrest other members of the gang still at large.

“Meanwhile, the IGP has reassured the general public that the Police and other security agencies are doing everything humanly possible to tame the challenges of kidnapping and other heinous crimes across the Country. He however enjoins them to always avail the Police with useful information that will help in realizing these objectives.”