TheCable

Four kidnap suspects have escaped from the custody of the Ebonyi state police command.

Titus Lamorde, the state commissioner of police, who confirmed this said the suspects fled on the night of October 22.

Lamorde identified them as: Ogonna Alioke, Friday Nwangbo, Emeka Nwangbo and Ekene Omenyi.

He said the suspects had kidnapped one Catherine Okorie and demanded a N10 million ransom from her family.

The police commissioner also said five officers who were on duty the day the suspects escaped were in custody.

“The five officers on duty that period are currently in detention assisting in investigations which is the only way to actually ascertain those that aided the escape,” Lamorde said.

“The insinuation that a top politician in the state masterminded the escape is unfounded and we assure the public that we will get to the root of the matter.”

He assured residents of the state that the command had put in place a team of investigators to ensure the immediate re-arrest of the suspects.

“We are assuring you that they have limited time to be arrested. Our investigators are currently working assiduously toward that,” the police commissioner said.

“Some of them are presently in a neighbouring state and we have information on where one of the escapees is currently hiding. We are assuring Ebonyi people that we would continue to provide them with adequate security especially during the forthcoming yuletide.

“We will continue to solicit for useful information to achieve this objective while advising criminals still operating in the state, to relocate in their best interest.”

On Friday, Ibrahim Idris, Inspector-general of police (IGP), said about 3,000 kidnap suspects were currently in custody across the country.