Anambra police arrest suspected kidnap kingpin after seven years

Operatives of Anambra State Police Command, yesterday arrested a suspected kidnap kingpin, Matthew Nwankwo, who has been on the run for over seven years.

The Guardian gathered that Nwankwo has been on the run since July 2015 after the demolition of his house in Nteje village, Oyi Local Council of the state.

An eyewitness said that the suspects’ house was demolished along with those of two co-suspected kidnap kingpins: Solomon Chibuzo Morah and Hyacinth Chibuodu, both natives of a neighbouring Umueri community in Anambra East council.

He said the houses of the trio were demolished by former Governor Willie Obiano administration because of their alleged involvement in the kidnapping.

According to the witness, his arrest followed a tip-off to the police that he had sneaked into the village, and is being detained at the headquarters of the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Amawbia.

“A team of operatives of the state police Command visited his Nteje home in the wee hours of Tuesday and arrested him,” the witness said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Command, Ikenga Tochukwu confirmed the incident, stressing that Nwankwo was in police custody.

“The suspect, Matthew Cyril Nwankwo, is in custody and further development shall be communicated,” he said.