Nigerian police have arrested eleven people suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of Sierra Leone’s Deputy High Commissioner, reports from Abuja indicated on Tuesday.
The suspects were presented to the public on Tuesday, reported the daily Punch newspaper in Abuja.
Maj-Gen. Alfred Claude Nelson-Williams was kidnapped on July 1 and he was released five days after in a rather surprise development. On Monday the former head of the Sierra Leone Army was officially presented to President Ernest Bai Koroma at State House.
He was reportedly on an official visit to the restive northern Nigerian state of Kaduna.
The Sierra Leonean government has said the Nigerians had promised to investigate the incident and bring to book all those responsible.
Presenting the suspects, the Force spokesman,
“In a coordinated operation based on intelligence and technical support, the intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police has smashed an 11-man kidnap gang,” Don Awunah, Deputy Commissioner of Police in the Nigerian Police Force, was quoted by the Punch.
“This coordinated operation led to the arrest of 11 members of the notorious gang that has been terrorising the North Central states of the country,” he added.
Awunah explained that the gang’s mode of operation included mounting of road blocks on highways in military uniforms and surprise attacks on unsuspecting motorists.
This appear to corroborate Mr Williams’ assertion on Monday during the State House press conference that he’d been kidnapped by men in military uniform.
“Normally, as any responsible citizen, if you come across a check point you have to come down,” Williams told Radio Democracy 98.1FM.
The Nigerian police spokesman, according to the Punch, said that items recovered from the suspects included three AK 47 rifles, three AK 47 rifle magazines with 90 rounds of ammunition as well as two sets of military camouflage.
He said the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, had directed state commissioners of police and technical operation commanders to improve on response to cases of crime and criminality.
He added that Idris assured all members of the diplomatic community of their safety and adequate security in Nigeria.
The kidnapping of Williams raised reportedly raised concern within the diplomatic community over security.
Awunah said investigations were ongoing on the Williams incident and that the suspects would be charged to court as soon they were concluded.
© Politico 15/07/16
