The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a kidnap suspect identified as Mathew Nwankwo.
It was gathered that the suspect, who had been declared wanted for seven years, was a member of a notorious kidnap gang terrorising the state.
He was said to have fled the state seven years ago when some of his gang members were arrested, but later reappeared in the state few weeks ago.
Our correspondent also gathered that his house was demolished alongside those of his gang members at Nteje and Umueri towns respectively while he was on the run.
Based on a tip-off, the state police traced Nwankwo and arrested him at his country home, Nteje, in the Oyi Local Government Area by officers of the command in the early hours of Tuesday.
The leader of the team that carried out the demolition, Assistant Police Commissioner Joseph Agugoesi, mentioned other gang members as Mr Solomon Morah aka Mmili, and Hyacinth Chibundu, whose houses were also demolished.
Agugoesi further noted that the gang members had been ripping off money as ransom to the tune of about N70m from their victims before they were arrested.
Confirming the arrest of Mathew Nwankwo, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspect was in police custody, adding that further investigations were still ongoing.
Ikenga also said that it would be too hasty to make public the preliminary findings in order not to jeopardise further investigations.
“The suspect is in our custody, further details will be communicated,” Ikenga added.
