Police arrest five for multiple abduction, car theft, abuse of women, two others for int’l child pornography   

The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, who is expected to retire from the Nigeria Police Force on Monday released a catalogue of progress made in the 2020, remarking that the action plan being implemented by the Force to curb Sexual and Gender Based Violence, particularly, all forms of abuse on women and children in the country, is yielding positive results.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CP Frank Mba, in a statement on Sunday disclosed that the IGP made the affirmation on the heels of the arrest of five members of a kidnap for ransom gang which specializes in the abduction of women and the girl child, sexually abusing them and obtaining ransom from their families before their release.

It was highlighted that the five suspects were arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team following massive manhunt by the Force for the perpetrators of the recent trend of abduction of women in some States in the South-South part of the country, especially, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and its environs.

Mba decried that the victims are often subjected to series of sexual abuses and ransom demanded from their families before their release. The suspects, according to the Police authorities, include  Osinachi Ngwakwe ‘m’ 22yrs from Ubaka Community in Umahia South LGA, Abia State; Sammy Junior Inordee, ‘alias T-Boy, ‘m’ 27yrs, from Gwarra Community in Khana LGA, Rivers State, Epo-Bari Nwolu, ‘m’ 26yrs from Ogale Community in Eleme, LGA, Rivers State, Yabari Gbarale ‘m’ 29yrs from Gwara community, Khana LGA, Rivers State, and Barine Yilda ‘m’ 30yrs, alias Albino, or Yellow from Gwara community, Khana LGA, Rivers State.

Mba indicated that investigations revealed that the suspects target lone female drivers of Porsche cars as they drive out of offices, shopping malls or any vulnerable places. “They, thereafter, trail them to lonely roads, abduct and take them to their criminal hideouts, sexually abuse them and demand ransom from their families before their release. They also sell off their exotic cars,” Mba narrated.

The FPRO highlighted that four AK47 rifles, one double barrel shotgun and set of military camouflage uniforms suspected to have been illegally acquired, which the suspects wear to beat security checks, were recovered. “Effort is being intensified to arrest other fleeing gang members and recover more weapons and stolen vehicles used by the suspects for their operations,” Mba said.

The Police disclosed that similarly, Operatives of the Nigeria Police INTERPOL, National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, arrested two (2) Kano based suspects: Ibrahim Muazzam Mohammad Aminu and Mohammad Tahir Umar. The FPRO disclosed that investigations revealed that the suspects are members of a trans-border/international child porn syndicate which sexually abuse and take undue advantage of underage girls and disseminate the video recordings of the illicit sexual act on an international social media Whatsapp group chat known as “Pervertidos”, owned and managed by a Brazilian called Adriana. “Their arrest followed intelligence received from the INTERPOL NCB, Brasilia,” Mba said.

It was highlighted that exhibits recovered from the suspects include: three (3) mobile phones and a Laptop computer. Forensic investigations/analysis carried out by the Police team on the gadgets revealed the series of pornographic/erotic videos with underage girls which the suspects shared on the internet for a fee denominated in US Dollars, the statement read in part.

Meanwhile, the IGP revealed that a total of 2,792 suspects were arrested by the Police for Sexual and Gender Based Violence and other sexual related offences in the year 2020. The arrests, he said, were linked to the 2,573 cases currently being prosecuted under the Force Gender Unit in various courts across the country. Others are still under active investigations. The IGP enjoined parents and guardians to keep a close watch on their children and wards and report any incidents of abuse against women and children. He expressed his displeasure with the prevailing culture of silence in concealing crimes against women and children, calling for improved collaboration with the Police, and assuring that the Force is well repositioned to protect women and children and confront violent crimes in the country.

All the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations, Mba said.