Police confirm release of kidnapped naval officer

Police confirm release of kidnapped naval officer

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the release of Lieutenant Cynthia Akor, a Nigerian Navy (NN) officer serving at the Defence Headquarters Abuja.

Akor was kidnapped alongside her sister and another victim when gunmen who invaded the Maman Vatsa Estate gate, blocked Mpape Road, and opened fire on moving vehicles on Friday night.

The Nation earlier reported that the kidnappers, said to be criminal herders, had demanded N100m for each of the victims but later collected N2m each before a joint security operation swooped on their location at Karu around 1:30am on Sunday and freed the hostages.

The Nation gathered that the joint operation involved the FCT Police Command, the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Guards Brigade and the Naval Unit, Abuja.

The joint security team, it was gathered recovered starched cash from the kidnappers’ den located in the suburbs of Abuja where the victims were also rescued and four relatives of the suspects apprehended.

The Nation gathered that among those arrested were the mother and sister of one of the suspected kidnappers, as well as the father and wife of another notorious suspect.

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It was learnt that the relatives were assisting security operatives with valuable information on the activities and whereabouts of the main culprits.

Confirming the Naval officer’s release on Sunday afternoon, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for FCT Command, SP Josephine Adeh, told the Nation she was not aware of ransom was paid.

She said all the arrested suspects were in the custody of the police, adding that the released victims were in stable condition and receiving treatment at the Army clinic, Abuja.

Adeh in a statement said the rescue operation covered Mpape, Gidan Bawa, Anguwan Mu’azu, and Yelwa Hills, extending into Nasarawa State.

She said: “The FCT Police Command, in collaboration with the military, has successfully rescued a kidnapped naval officer, along with two civilians, who were abducted by armed criminals in Mpape, Abuja, on March 21, 2025.

“At approximately 7:35 pm on the said date, heavily armed assailants attacked the Maman Vatsa Estate gate, blocked Mpape Road, and opened fire on moving vehicles before abducting the three victims.

“Shortly after the attack, the kidnappers contacted the victims’ families, demanding a ransom of ₦500 million for the naval officer and ₦200 million each for the two civilians,” Adeh said.

Continuing, the police spokesperson said that a distress call was received by the command about the incident and the Deputy Commissioner (Operations), DCP Isyaku Sharu, coordinated a rescue operation involving the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the military, the Department of State Services (DSS) and local hunters.

“An intense search and rescue operation was conducted across Mpape, Gidan Bawa, Anguwan Mu’azu, and Yelwa Hills, covering areas in the FCT and Nasarawa State.

“Acting on credible intelligence, between 2am and 5:30 am on March 23, 2025, operatives traced the suspects to a Fulani resettlement in Anguwan Mu’azu and Yelwa Hills, Nasarawa State, where four suspects were arrested, and the victims were rescued unharmed.

“Additionally, the sum of ₦3.2 million, suspected to be ransom money from previous kidnapping operations, was recovered from the suspects.

“Efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend the remaining suspects currently at large.

“Security deployments have also been reinforced in Mpape and surrounding areas to prevent future occurrences, as members of the public are advised to go about their daily activities without any apprehension,” she said.

Police confirm release of kidnapped naval officer