Police apprehend three kidnap suspects in Imo 

The Imo state police command has arrested three kidnap suspects over the abduction of one Sabinus Ibe, a 48-year-old resident of Owerri, the state capital. 

In a statement issued on Sunday, Henry Okoye, spokesperson of the command, said the suspects were apprehended on March 18 “following investigation and strategic operations led by the Commander of Anti-kidnapping Unit, Owerri”.

The suspects, identified as Favour Dike 22; Ifeanyi Kingsley, 30; and Wisdom Chikodi, 31, demanded and received payment for ransom after abducting Ibe.

“The kidnap victim, Mr. Sabinus Ibe, was abducted on February 22, 2025, at around 8:00 PM in Egbu, Owerri. He was forcibly taken to an undisclosed location by the kidnappers. The kidnappers then demanded a ransom for his release, which was paid through a POS transaction. The payment was traced to a Moniepoint account (8213707568) operated by one of the suspects, Favour Dike, at the Timber and Allied Market in Owerri North Local Government Area,” the statement reads.

“Upon arrest, Favour Dike, admitted to receiving a two million naira ransom payment on the instructions of Ifeanyi Kingsley, a trader in Timber and Allied Market Naze in Owerri. Kingsley later confessed to providing Dike’s POS account details at the request of his friend, Wisdom Chikodi, a member of the kidnapping syndicate. Chikodi, from Umuezuo Ekwereazu in Ahiazu LGA, is believed to have played a significant role in orchestrating the kidnapping.

“Further investigation led to the arrest of Wisdom Chikodi in his hotel room at New Owerri. Chikodi then took operatives to the Old Township Stadium, Tetlow Road, where gang members fled upon seeing the police, abandoning an ash-colored Toyota Camry 2.4 model. A search of the vehicle uncovered two pump-action rifles, one locally made gun, and 18 live cartridges. Several additional arrests were made as operatives pursued the fleeing suspects.”

Aboki Danjuma, the state commissioner of police, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to fighting crime.

He assured the public that the suspects would be arraigned in court after investigation and that efforts are underway to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

He urged the public to report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or via 0803 477 3600.