Nigerian Navy Hands Over Kidnap Suspects to Police
The Nigerian Navy on Wednesday handed over a three-man kidnapping gang to the Police, following their arrest in connection with the abduction of a naval officer, Lieutenant Cynthia Akor and other victims in Abuja. Commodore Oluseyi Oladipo, Commander of the Naval Unit in Abuja, said the officer was kidnapped on Friday, March 21, 2025, around Mpape, Abuja. He was later tracked to a forest hideout in Nasarawa State where she and other victims were rescued. Until the abduction, she was a staff of Armed Forces Radio, which is based at the Mogadishu Cantonment, off the Abuja-Nyanya Expressway. Sources confirmed that Lieutenant Akor was kidnapped in the evening of Friday March 21, 2025 while she was driving in a Toyota saloon car along with another passenger at approximately 7:45 p.m. The abduction was carried out by four armed assailants who opened fire before seizing the victims. The abducted individuals, including Gold Alfred, a resident of Bwari, and an unidentified person, were returning home after visiting a relative in Beggar Quarry, Mpape. According to Oladipo, the successful operation was carried out by a joint Quick Response Squad from the Naval Base, in collaboration with troops from the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army and personnel from the Nigeria Police Force. “In line with our mandate to provide security within the FCT and surrounding areas, we maintain strong synergy with other security agencies,” he said. “Despite ongoing efforts, the FCT continues to face threats including kidnappings, ‘one-chance’ abductions, and car thefts.” The base commander explained that after receiving the report of the officer’s abduction, a joint search-and-rescue mission was launched, supported by both human and technical intelligence. The victims were freed in the early hours of Sunday, March 23. Subsequent follow-up operations led to the arrest of two prime suspects and an accomplice, all of whom have confessed to kidnapping, cattle rustling, and other criminal activities. The suspects, along with relevant exhibits, were formally handed over to the FCT Police Command for further investigation and prosecution. Commodore Oladipo reaffirmed the Naval Unit’s commitment to the vision of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, to maintain a motivated naval force capable of ensuring security across Nigeria’s maritime and land-based environments. He also expressed appreciation to the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, for his leadership in enhancing security within the capital. “The Base will continue to collaborate with other security agencies to ensure that Abuja remains safe and secure,” he concluded.