Navy captures 2 suspected kidnappers in Rivers

In the Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State’s Agba Agwatx Asarama, the Nigerian Navy has detained two persons who are suspected of being kidnappers.

The suspect kidnapped the victim, a tug boat captain, off the coast of the Andoni-Bonny River; the victim was also saved by the Navy.

The miscreants on the speed boat intercepted the skipper mid-stream when he was transporting a barge from Ikot Abasi along the Bonny River.

The recovered captain told reporters in Port Harcourt that the kidnappers, who pretended to be pipeline surveillance workers, took him to a nearby hamlet and did not want his name to be revealed.

However, according to a source, the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base in Bonny, Rivers State swiftly moved in after locating the crime scene and apprehending one of the accused kidnappers based on an intelligence report about the occurrence.

“The Navy received an intelligence report that a kidnapping was ongoing and immediately responded to the incident area and followed up with locals on the intel they received,” said the Navy source, who asked to remain anonymous.

 “The Navy team located the criminals in an enclave within the area where the kidnappers were believed to be hiding the captured victim.

“However, on sighting the Navy team approaching, the kidnappers quickly fled into surrounding bushes and abandoned the captain who was then rescued. ”

Continuing, he said, “In a further effort to comb the area, the Navy intercepted and arrested two fleeing kidnappers after a hot chance.

“We were informed that the tugboat captain has been abducted and taken into the village.

 “We raided the place and rescued victim, and arrested two suspects while others escaped. Efforts are ongoing to fish out and apprehend the remaining suspects.”

Narrating his ordeal, the captain said, “I am the captain of the tugboat. It was hired by a private company..We were coming from Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State along the river (Bonny River).”

“When we got to that other river (Andoni river), some village boys came out and stopped us, telling us that they are surveillance boys and that they are in charge of the area. They asked my boss to give them N400,000.

“He begged them that we don’t have such money but they kept asking. He offered them N40,000, but they refused and now said they will take his captain and when he is ready let him send the money.”

“They now took me in their boat away; when we reached their place, they told me that they have increased the money to N1million.

“So they called my boss and told him to bring N1million or they will hide me. It was in that process that I received a call and a naval man was talking to me, I now gave them the phone.

“After talking with the navy man, they got angry, asking me why I called the Navy, ” he explained

He said it was after the call from the naval officer that the Navy raided the area, arrested one of the suspect.