The Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) of Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, yesterday arrested a member of the notorious kidnapping syndicate, whose modus operandi is to abduct and rob victims.
The suspect, 29-year-old Raphael Ndukwu, was also identified as a member of the gang that recently abducted and killed a Reverend Father in Owerri, Imo State.
The victim was nabbed by FSARS operatives after his recent operation where he kidnapped one Gloria Emordi and made away with her Toyota Venza Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), which is yet to be recovered.
The victim was said to have visited Orlu, her hometown in Imo from Lagos where she resides, when she was kidnapped. According to police sources, the suspect was nabbed after a tip-off from informants, who hinted police that he had fled to Lagos to take refuge after the Imo operation.
The source said: “The suspect is a leader of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping gang that has been terrorising Imo and its environs. He usually comes to Ojo in Lagos to take refuge after any operation. From our investigation, the suspect is among the gang members that killed the Catholic priest in Owerri, Imo State, Cyriacus Onunkwo.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, has said Divisional Intelligence Offices would be set up at police stations across the state to handle information given by members of the public.
The police boss, who disclosed this at a stakeholders’ security meeting with Ikeja residents, said this was in line with intelligence-led policing to aid community policing.
“Every police officer would now have a pocket notebook to jot down information given to them by members of the public while on duty. This information would be forwarded to the Divisional Information Officer at the end of the day for thorough processing.
“This has become important as it has been observed that people often give information to policemen and it ends there but that will cease from now,” he said adding that there is no police force all over the world that can perform without intelligence.
He disclosed that the Citizens Complaints Hot Center (CCHC) is available to report police misconduct and that police patrol vehicles will be stationed at strategic points where people can run to when in distress.
The police boss also pledged support for the vigilance groups’ security men as long as they have been profiled and registered with the police.
Imohimi also advised DPO’s to communicate more with the people in their communities and advised that Community Development Associations (CDA’s) should also hold regular meetings with their DPO’s.
“If we fail to do so, we will fail to gain your trust and community policing will fail. We encourage the people to say something when they see something. It is our duty to process the information and we promise protect your identity.
“The police would also regulate the use of police stickers and other police souvenirs which had made some people fall victim of kidnappers. You know when a person enters a bus feeling safe after seeing a police sticker on it but eventually falls victim, such person will never see anything good in the police,” he said.
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