Anambra Police Command says it has arrested a kidnap kingpin who has been on the run since 2015 when he was declared wanted.
The command said the suspect identified as Mathew Edozieuno Nwankwo was a member of a notorious kidnap gang that had been terrorizing the state during the regime of Governor Willie Obiano.
He allegedly fled from the state when his gang members were arrested but later reappeared in the state after the end of Obiano’s administration.
Ikenga Tochukwu, spokesman of the command said that based on a tip off to the State Police Command, Nwankwo was arrested at his country home, Nteje in Oyi local government area by officers of the Command at the wee hours of Tuesday.
He recalled that his house was demolished along that of his gang members at Nteje and Umueri respectively while he was on the run .
Quoting the leader of the team that carried out the demolition, Asst Police Commissioner Joseph Agugoesi, he said other gang members include Mr Solomon Chi’buzor Morah aka Mmili and Hyacinth Chibudu whose houses were also demolished.
He further noted that the gang members have as it were, been ripping off money as ransom to the tune of about #70 million from their victims before they were arrested.
Tochukwu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police said that the suspect is in police custody adding that further investigations are still ongoing.
He added that it would be too hasty to make public the preliminary findings in order not to jeopardize further investigations.
