The police have rescued two kidnapped Ghanaian Nationals and apprehended a key kidnapping syndicate operating across international borders.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi in a statement issued Friday explained that the rescue operation was Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
He said: “The National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja on April 27th, 2025, regarding the kidnap of one Anastasia Arthur aka Baidoo, a 48-year-old Ghanaian national, the Nigeria Police Force, through its Intelligence Response Team (IRT), has successfully rescued 2 kidnapped Ghanaian Nationals and apprehended a key kidnapping syndicate operating across international borders.
“Initial investigations revealed that Ms. Baidoo’s abduction stemmed from a sophisticated Facebook love scam.”
Adejobi added that advanced technical analysis provided a lead to a key location connected to the perpetrators, and operatives were deployed for immediate action.
He noted that working in close collaboration with the Ghanaian Police Service, the IRT operatives identified a criminal syndicate with members operating in both Ghana and Nigeria.
Adejobi said: “Key breakthroughs in the investigation included the arrest of one Emeka Christian, a 27-year-old Nigerian national residing in Bolgatanga, Upper Eastern Ghana, who confessed to receiving GH 10,000 Cedis as ransom money for the victim through his Ghanaian mobile account.
“He further admitted to transferring the Naira equivalent to a Nigerian bank account belonging to one Peter Okoye.
“On May 1st, 2025, at approximately 1:22 pm, IRT operatives successfully tracked Peter Okoye, the prime suspect, to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“The suspect was apprehended along with members of his syndicate: Paulinus Chidokwe, 35, and Chinonso Okafor, 35. Two Ghanaian women, Ms. Anastasia Arthur aka Baidoo and Amaseerwaa Konadu who were victims of these abductors, were rescued in the process.”
Adejobi stressed that the victims have been taken to the hospital for proper treatment having been held under dehumanising circumstances.
He said the suspects are currently undergoing investigation and upon conclusion, those involved would be made to face the full wrath of the law.