During the past two weeks, over 30 suspected kidnappers—including members of the Biafra Auto Pilot, also known as the Unknown Gunmen—were shot dead in shootouts with security personnel at various locations throughout the state. The Biafra Auto Pilot is a notorious breakaway faction of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), loyal to the Finland-based Simon Ekpa, who terrorised Enugu and beyond.
The media office of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah released a statement on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, which included this information.
According to the statement, early on Wednesday morning, SP Onochie Ezeh, a Police Superintendent, oversaw a coordinated security operation at Ugwuogo Nike-Opi Road to free a few kidnap victims.
The operation resulted in the capture of a seven-person kidnapping group at Ogbeke Nike, where the captives were hidden in a sizable poultry farm.
The state’s ongoing efforts to root out criminals operating from nearby states, such as kidnappers, unidentified gunmen, and other shady characters, including Wednesday’s successful operation, according to the police head.
“We were on the trail of these kidnappers for more than three months now. They had been operating within this axis where they kidnapped their victims and kept them at a large poultry farm at Ogbeke Nike until ransoms were paid,” he stated.
“So, on a tipoff from members of the public who suspected the strange movements in the area and the accounts of some of the victims of these criminals, we swung into action. On sighting us, these men of the underworld opened fire on my men, and we quickly retaliated and overpowered them with our superior firepower.”
In addition, SP Ezeh said that the joint security task force, established by Governor Mbah as a tactical unit against kidnappings and the actions of unidentified gunmen, had achieved significant progress in monitoring the territory and rooting out criminal elements.
“The mission of this brave crack team is to eradicate all threats within the state. Over the previous few months, we have experienced tremendous success. As you are aware, our responsibility is to guarantee that every state resident and citizen lives in peace, not to run to the media with our narrative.
“I can confirm that we have already eliminated more than seven criminal groups, the majority of them were kidnappers and unidentified shooters. We’re pursuing them. The governor indicated that if we don’t totally purge the state of dangers, we shouldn’t return home, therefore we are bringing the fight to them.
“So we are on it. In fact, during our operations, we identified many criminal hideouts that serve as rogue premises where kidnap victims and dangerous weapons are kept. These places include the New Artisan Market, Akwuke community, Akegbe-Ugwu, Four Corners, Awgu, Mgbowo, Emene, Eke and Afa in Udi and some parts of Isi Uzo local government. During rescue operations, we were able to neutralize over 30 of the kidnappers and recovered guns and valuables,” the police chief added.
Dr. Kate Pamela, one of the rescued kidnap survivors, claimed that her unpleasant experiences at the hands of the kidnappers had traumatised her.
“Each time I pass through that poultry, I feel I have been denied justice by still allowing it to operate. They kidnapped us and kept us there for five days,” she said.
“They even killed two of the victims because their families could only afford ten million naira each against the fifty million naira demanded. Notwithstanding that I was able to identify the bodies of three of the kidnappers when they were killed, I still feel that the area should be cleared. Government must ensure justice by turning that place into a landfill.”
