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Police parade notorious Abuja kidnapper, Philip-Okoye, 15 others, including the Nigeria Police Force on a stretcher.
The Nigeria Police Force paraded the notorious Abuja kidnapper, Chinaza Philip-Okoye, on a stretcher at the Force Intelligence Response Team base in Guzape, Federal Capital Territory. The suspect sustained serious injuries after being shot by police officers during the interception of his gang at a filling station on Thursday night. Philip-Okoye was apprehended in Kaduna by a combined team of FCT and Kaduna police officers while taking a victim, Segun Akinyemi, from Abuja to Kano State. The police were alerted to Akinyemi’s abduction when the kidnappers drove through Rita Lori in Garki, Abuja. FCT anti-kidnapping operatives chased them into Kaduna State, where Philip-Okoye was shot and arrested, and the victim rescued unhurt.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the suspects ran out of luck when intercepted at a filling station in Kaduna. Three of them managed to escape, while Philip-Okoye was arrested, and the victim was rescued unharmed. Adejobi stated that the proactive move followed a report on the abduction of a victim from his house, and an intelligence-propelled investigation revealed that the victim was being taken to Kano State. The suspects dispossessed the victim of his ATM cards in Kaduna, transferring N500,000 from his account. Philip-Okoye and his accomplices had been arrested in November 2023 and charged for similar offenses at the High Court, Kwali, Abuja, but committed more crimes while on court bail.
The Kaduna State Police Command handed over Philip-Okoye to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command. The suspect sustained injuries during the arrest and was paraded on a stretcher during the presentation. The victim, Segun Akinyemi, was rescued unharmed, and his vehicle was recovered. Philip-Okoye’s gang members are still at large, and investigations continue. The incident highlights the challenges posed by organized crime groups involved in abductions and the efforts of law enforcement to combat such criminal activities.
