The police in Imo State, South-east Nigeria, say they have arrested three suspected kidnappers in the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, identified the suspects as 22-year-old woman, Favour Dike, and two men – Ifeanyi Kingsley, 30, and Wisdom Chikodi, 31.

The spokesperson said the three suspects were members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate terrorising residents of the state.

He said the suspects were arrested on 18 March by the operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the state police command.

Mr Okoye said the suspects were arrested following the kidnap of a victim, Sabinus Ibe, on 22 February.

He said Mr Ibe was kidnapped at about 8 p.m. in Egbu Area of Owerri, the state capital.

The police spokesperson said after being taken to an undisclosed location, the suspects demanded N2 million ransom for his release which was paid through a Point on Sale (POS) machine.

He said the POS machine was owned and operated by the female suspect, Ms Dike,

at the Timber and Allied Market in Owerri North Local Government Area of the state.

“Upon arrest, Favour Dike, admitted to receiving the N2 million ransom payment on the instructions of Ifeanyi Kingsley, a trader in Timber and Allied Market Naze in Owerri,” he said.

Mr Okoye said Mr Kingsley later confessed to providing Ms Dike’s POS account details at the request of his friend, Mr Chikodi, who hails from Umuezuo Ekwereazu in Ahiazu Council Area of the state.

He said Mr Chikodi was arrested in his hotel room at New Owerri after investigation showed he played a significant role in orchestrating the kidnapping.

“Chikodi then took operatives to the Old Township Stadium, Tetlow Road, where gang members fled upon seeing the police, abandoning an ash-colored Toyota Camry 2.4 model.

“A search of the vehicle uncovered two pump-action rifles, one locally made gun, and 18 live cartridges,” he said.

The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, has reaffirmed the commitment of the state police command to crime-fighting.

Mr Danjuma assured that the suspects will be arraigned in court after investigation.

The police chief said efforts are underway to track down other members of the syndicate.