The Anambra State Police Command on Saturday paraded 19 suspected kidnappers, along with seized arms and three bags of cannabis.
The arms include five AK-47 rifles; a barrater pistol, six pump action guns, 9, 000 live cartridges; eight AK-47 magazines and a locally made pistol.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Usman Gwary, paraded the suspects at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad Office in Awkuzu, near Onitsha in Anambra.
Gwary warned criminals, including kidnappers, their informants, armed robbers and assassins to leave the state, “or be ready to meet your waterloo.’’ He appealed to families of kidnap victims to cooperate with the security agencies by giving them useful information.
“It is only with your assistance, in terms of giving us useful information that the police can track down the criminals before more damages is done. After paying ransom, the released keeping silent about the incident does not help us, it makes it impossible for us to get the kidnappers.’’
He revealed that most of the suspected kidnappers paraded were arrested in Delta, Imo and Anambra within one week.
On the Joint Task Force (JTF) set up by Gov. Willie Obiano, the commissioner of police said it is in operation in Onitsha.
“After Onitsha, we shall go to other zones, it is one after the other, but let me warn the criminals to leave the state. We decided to come together as a JTF because police alone did not have enough manpower and logistics to curtail the situation.’’
“The kingpin, who masterminded the kidnap of P.N. Emerah’s brother, one Ugochukwu Ugwueche, said his gang collected five million naira as ransom.
“He said that someone, whom he refused to mention, brought the contract to him and later contacted his gang.
Also, one Echezona Akude, who was paraded as an informant to the gang, said that he was given N300, 000 out of the ransom,’’ the commissioner said