Police Rescue Kidnap Victim, Arrest Suspect Linked to Online Job Scam in Enugu

Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have rescued a kidnapped victim and arrested a 27-year-old suspect allegedly involved in a syndicate that lures victims through fake online job offers.

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed in a statement on Monday that the operation was carried out on April 11, 2026, by officers attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Sub-Unit of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).

According to him, the victim had been deceived via an online platform, abducted, and forced to pay a ransom of ₦500,000 before his rescue. The suspect, identified as Aniagboso Ugochukwu, was apprehended during the operation.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the same gang had earlier, on April 1, 2026, abducted another victim using a similar method and extorted ₦100,000 before releasing him.

Police findings indicate that members of the syndicate advertise fictitious job vacancies on social media to lure unsuspecting individuals. Interested persons are directed to a meeting point at Eke Obinagu in Emene, Enugu, from where they are taken to a secluded location in Akpuoga Nike and held captive.

Victims are reportedly threatened with crude weapons, including iron objects and wooden planks, while ransom demands are made to their families.

The police said the suspect has confessed and is assisting ongoing investigations aimed at arresting other members of the gang, recovering ransom payments, and dismantling the network.

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, urged the public to exercise caution when responding to online job offers and to verify their authenticity before engaging further.

He also advised residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or contact the Command through its emergency lines.