THE Nigeria Police Force, through its Intelligence Response Team (IRT), has apprehended three suspected kidnappers and rescued two Ghanaian nationals who were abducted in a cross-border criminal operation.
According to a statement released, the arrests followed a report lodged with the National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja on April 27, 2025, regarding the abduction of 48-year-old Ghanaian national, Anastasia Arthur, also known as Baidoo.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed that preliminary investigations traced the kidnapping to a sophisticated romance scam initiated via Facebook.
With the aid of advanced technical analysis, the IRT identified key locations linked to the suspects and swiftly deployed operatives to act.
The team, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, uncovered a kidnapping syndicate operating across Nigeria and Ghana.
One of the suspects, 27-year-old Nigerian Emeka Christian, was arrested in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region of Ghana.
He confessed to receiving GH₵10,000 in ransom through his Ghanaian mobile account, which he later converted and transferred to a Nigerian bank account owned by one Peter Okoye.
On May 1, 2025, the IRT tracked and arrested Okoye in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Two additional suspects, Paulinus Chidokwe (35) and Chinonso Okafor (35), believed to be part of the syndicate, were also apprehended.
During the operation, the two victims — Ms. Anastasia Arthur and another Ghanaian woman, Amaseerwaa Konadu — were rescued.
The police stated that the women had been held under inhumane conditions and are now receiving proper medical care.
Commending the team’s swift acoordinated response, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, emphasized that the successful operation reflects the Nigeria Police Force’s dedication, alongside international partners, to tackling transnational crime and protecting lives across borders.
