The Enugu State Forest Guard has recorded another major breakthrough in its ongoing campaign against kidnapping and violent crime, successfully rescuing a kidnap victim and arresting four suspected criminals during a coordinated intelligence-led operation in Ette Sector, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The operation, carried out under the leadership of the State Commander, Dr. Akinbayo O. Olasoji, highlights the Forest Guard’s growing effectiveness in combating insecurity through proactive intelligence gathering and rapid response.
According to a press statement electronically signed by the State Commander and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) through the Corps’ Public Relations Officer, Uliaga Geraldine Chiagozie, operatives acted swiftly on credible intelligence indicating that a young man, Mr. Samson Eleje Abah, had allegedly been lured into a forest and abducted by suspected criminal elements.
The statement disclosed that Forest Guard operatives immediately launched a coordinated rescue mission, successfully securing the victim unharmed while apprehending three suspects identified as Mr. Reuben Okwudili, Mr. Reuben Gebechukwu Chinoso, and Mr. Reuben Emeka. The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for comprehensive investigation and prosecution.
Further intelligence generated during the operation led to the arrest of Mr. John Agbo of Ofante Egberi, Kogi State, who is alleged to have travelled to the area to perform ritual activities linked to the suspected kidnapping. He was also transferred to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
The Forest Guard revealed that preliminary findings, supported by engagements with community leaders, indicated that residents had long expressed concerns over the alleged criminal activities of some of the suspects and had previously provided intelligence to security agencies.
Following the arrests, community leaders strongly condemned the alleged criminal acts and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting security agencies through timely intelligence sharing. They also announced traditional sanctions against the family of the principal suspects in line with local customs, while stressing that the community would not tolerate criminality in any form.
The statement noted that the successful operation further demonstrates the effectiveness of intelligence-driven security operations being undertaken by the Enugu State Forest Guard in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies.
Commending the professionalism, courage, and swift response of the operatives, Commander Dr. Akinbayo O. Olasoji reaffirmed the Corps’ unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Enugu State.
He urged residents to continue partnering with security agencies by providing credible and timely information, emphasizing that community intelligence remains a critical weapon in the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The Enugu State Forest Guard assured residents that it would sustain aggressive patrols, intelligence-led operations, and robust collaboration with other security agencies to ensure that criminal elements have no safe haven anywhere in Enugu State.