The Nigeria Police Force paraded a notorious Abuja kidnapper, Chinaza Philip Okoye at the Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT) base, Guzape, Federal Capital Territory on Saturday.
Okoye was paraded in a stretcher at the IRT base. Okoye who was paraded with bandages over injuries on his two legs sustained serious injuries after he was shot by police officers following the interception of his gang at a filling station on Thursday night.
Okoye’s arrest was carried out in a sting operation by a combined team of FCT and Kaduna police officers in Kaduna on Thursday. Officers of the police force had swooped in on him and his gang members (now at large), while they were taking a victim, Segun Akinyemi, from Abuja to Kano State.
How Notorious Abuja Kidnapper, Philip Okoye Was Apprehended In Kaduna
Police got hint of Akinyemi’s abduction when the kidnappers drove through Rita Lori, Garki, Abuja, on Thursday night, and all police formations were alerted within the FCT and neighbouring states of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, and Kogi.
“We were informed of Akinyemi’s abduction when the kidnappers drove through Rita Lori in Garki, so the FCT Police Command alerted all police formations in the FCT and neighbouring states of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, and Kogi.
“So, FCT anti-kidnapping operatives chased them into Kaduna State before other gang members fled, and Chinaza Phillip-Okoye was shot at and apprehended by a team of FCT policemen and Kaduna State police officers, and the victim rescued unhurt and his vehicle recovered.” a senior police source confirmed to our correspondent.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects ran out of luck as they were intercepted by police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna where three of them escaped, while one by them, Philip-Okoye, was arrested, and the victim rescued unhurt.
Adejobi said, “In a proactive move, following a report on the abduction of a victim from his house along with his Hilux Van with Reg. No. RBC 90 DL Gray colour by four armed men who disguised in a white Mercedez Benz 230 car, Police Operatives in an intelligence-propelled investigation discovered that the victim was being taken to Kano State, but was dispossessed of his ATM cards at Kaduna while the sum of N500,000.00 was transferred from his account.
“The suspects however ran out of luck as they were intercepted by Police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna where three of them escaped, while one by the name Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael was arrested, the victim rescued unhurt, and the said Hilux Van recovered. It was discovered that Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and his accomplices had earlier been arrested sometime in November 2023 and charged for similar offences, at the High Court, Kwali, Abuja, but went back to committing even worse crimes while on court bail.”
The Kaduna State Police Command had on Friday handed over Chinaza Philip-Okoye to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
The Kaduna Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, had revealed that Chinaza was arrested in Kaduna on Thursday when the police swooped on him and his gang members (now at large), while they were taking a victim, Segun Akinyemi from Abuja to Kano State.
Confirming receipt of the suspect alongside some arms and a mobile phone on Friday, the FCT Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said more details would be revealed.
Adeh said, “The FCT Police Command wishes to confirm the arrest of one Chinaza Phillip, a notorious Abuja kidnapper by police operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command on Thursday, January 17, 2024.
“The suspect has been handed over to the FCT Police Command today being Friday, January 19, 2024, and he’s currently in police custody. More details will be communicated soon.”
