By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has recorded another operational success in its fight against crime, following the rescue of a Nigerian citizen based in South Africa who was kidnapped in Enugu State.
The victim, it was gathered, was rescued following a police-led joint security operation in Isulo, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to a press statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, police-led joint security operatives attached to the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Aguata, rescued the victim in the early hours of Thursday, January 15, 2026, during a routine visibility patrol around the Isulo axis of Orumba South LGA.
According to the statement, the rescued victim, who was immediately debriefed by the operatives, disclosed that he is a native of Obinagu–Isikweachi, Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, but based in South Africa.
The victim, police said, further explained that upon his return to Enugu to celebrate Yuletide with his people, he was abducted from his hometown in the evening hours of January 1, 2026, by a yet-to-be-identified gang of six armed men who reportedly masked their faces during the operation.
The Police Spokesman said the victim further revealed that his abductors demanded a ransom of forty million naira (₦40 million) from his wife and other family members while holding him captive.
However, he said the victim managed to escape from the kidnappers’ den, while his escape subsequently led to his rescue by the joint security operatives during the visibility patrol, thereby bringing an end to over two weeks of captivity.
SP Ikenga also noted that following his rescue, the victim was properly debriefed and has been successfully reunited with his family.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command further disclosed that operatives are currently working with actionable intelligence obtained from the victim to identify, locate and dismantle the criminal hideout within the area, as well as arrest all those responsible for the abduction.
The Command reiterated its commitment to proactive policing, intelligence-led operations and the protection of lives and property across the state, while also assuring Ndi Anambra and residents that sustained security pressure will continue against criminal elements.
