The Anambra State Police Command has rescued three unidentified people who were kidnapped by gunmen along the Onitsha-Owerri expressway in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area.
Superintendent of Police Tochukwu Ikenga of Anambra State stated in a statement on Saturday that the victims were rescued around 7:20 a.m.
Our correspondent gathered that the kidnapped victims were abducted on Friday evening at Nsugbe-Nneyi in Umuleri, Anambra State.
A video of the incident that appeared on social media indicated that the kidnappers shot one of the victims in the foot as a means to emphasise their severity and pressure their relatives to pay ransom.
According to Ikenga, the combined security team rescued the three kidnapped victims along the Onitsha/Owerri Express Road in Ozubulu on Saturday as part of coordinated operations.
He stated that when information of their kidnapping was reported, several security checkpoints in the state were alerted in order to potentially rescue and apprehend the offenders.
According to him, the state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has directed the operatives to redouble their efforts in the hope of apprehending the offenders and has promised a sustained onslaught to deny the crooks the opportunity to cause havoc.
He said, “The Joint Security Team in coordinated operations today, March 22, 2025, by 7:20am, rescued three kidnap victims along Onitsha/Owerri Express Road, Ozubulu. The victims were rushed to the hospital by the joint security team following various degrees of injury already inflicted on them by the criminals.
“They are currently responding to treatment and shall subsequently be debriefed by the police.
“Different security checkpoints in the state were alerted when the information of their abduction at Nkwelle-Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area was reported for possible rescue and arrest of the criminals.
“The Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, while charging the operatives to redouble their efforts for the possible arrest of the criminals, has assured the good people of Anambra of the Command’s commitment to the protection of lives and properties and sustained onslaught to continue to deny the criminals the space to commit havoc.”
