By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Ahmed Sanusi, has confirmed the rescue of a 36-year-old woman, Grace Annie-Koko, who was allegedly held in chains by her brother for over one year and four months in Abuja.
Sanusi made this known on Monday during a news briefing at the FCT Police Command Headquarters, where he also announced the arrest of five suspects linked to kidnapping and logistics support networks, as well as the demolition of buildings used as criminal hideouts in Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory in collaboration with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCDA).
He explained that the rescue operation followed a distress call that led detectives to the suspect’s residence, which initially resisted police entry.
“Upon receipt of the report, I immediately deployed a team of detectives. When they arrived, the suspect refused access, and we had to invoke the powers of ingress and liberation to gain entry,” CP Ahmed Sanusi said.
According to him, the victim was found in a severely dehumanised condition after being held in captivity for over 16 months and was immediately rescued and taken to hospital for treatment.
“She was found in a highly dehumanising condition. She had stayed there for this long, in her feces and excreta. Nobody cared for her welfare,” he added.
Sanusi also disclosed that investigations revealed the suspect allegedly abducted the victim’s son about two years earlier, with efforts ongoing to trace and rescue the child.
The police further confirmed that a total of five suspects were arrested in connection with kidnapping operations and logistics support within the FCT and border communities.
He listed recoveries from the suspects to include:
* Four motorcycles
* 31 pieces of 500mg tramadol tablets
* 10 pieces of 50mg tramadol tablets
* ₦320,000 cash
* Five mobile phones
* One POS machine
* Cooking utensils suspected to have been used in supporting kidnappers
“We have identified their houses, and we are moving in collaboration with the FCDA to demolish them immediately after the briefing. This is to create setbacks for their operations,” the Commissioner said.
Sanusi added that the Command is intensifying joint patrols with neighbouring states including Niger, Kaduna, and Nasarawa to disrupt kidnapping networks operating across boundary communities.
He assured that all suspects will be prosecuted upon conclusion of investigations.
