Soldiers attached to 144 Battalion, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State have on Saturday, August 3, 2019, arrested an alleged member of a notorious kidnapping gang operating in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state and its environs.
The suspect who is also known as Phyno and Red Mood respectively, military sources claimed has been on their wanted list for various crimes that he and his gang have allegedly committed.
A military source who pleaded anonymity said that ‘Phyno’ was arrested through intelligence information in a hotel located on the outskirts of the commercial city where he had taken refuge after a robbery operation.
“He snatched a motorbike from somebody at Uratta junction before he was apprehended by soldiers. Information has it that he was in a hotel (outside Aba main town). On getting the information, soldiers traced him to the said hotel in mufti where he (the kidnap kingpin) was picked.”
The military source who hinted that efforts were being made to track down other members of the gang, added that the suspect would be handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The source who stated that the Nigerian Army was committed to making sure that Aba was safe for residents and visitors to carry out their businesses without any fear of molestation from any person warned that they were going to make Aba and its environs unsafe for any person or group of persons to carry out their illicit business.
In another development, Soldiers of 144 Battalion on routine patrol at Uratta Area of Aba on Monday saved a pregnant woman from losing her pregnancy.
The incident it was gathered happened at about 11 am near the ever-busy Uratta junction off Aba-Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
It was gathered that the expectant mother who lost consciousness while walking was about to be wheeled off in a wheelbarrow by early callers to the scene as there was no vehicle that stopped to render assistance to her.
It was gathered that while some of the callers were rallying round to ensure that she was evacuated from the scene to a nearby Chemist shop for treatment, soldiers on patrol who met the woman gasping for breath quickly evacuated her with their vehicle to a distant private hospital where they made deposit of sum of cash for immediate treatment to be administered on her.
The yet-to-be known woman is said to have been brought to stability at the time of filing this report.
