Akwa Ibom State Police Command yesterday said it had rescued the two Turkish Nationals abducted by kidnappers in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.
The two expatriates, who worked with a construction firm, VKS Nigeria Construction Limited, were abducted at their hotel in Eket on Sunday, April 9.
The State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Don Awunah, who confirmed the release of the expatriates to newsmen during a briefing at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo, the state capital.said five suspects were arrested in connection with the kidnap of the two Turkish nationals.
The rescue of the expatriates, CP Awunah said, was through the deployment of technical platform and skillful professional negotiation.
His words: “The two kidnapped Turkish Nationals were kidnapped and taken to the creeks of Calabar/Oron Waterways. Undoubtedly, kidnap for ransom threatened Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Akwa Ibom state.
“Following sustained Police activities in the waterways, deployment of technical platform, cultivation of actionable intelligence and skillful professional negotiation, the two Turkish gentlemen were released on April 19, 2017.
“The Victims of crime have been reunited with their colleagues after medical assessment. Five suspects have been arrested and further investigation is ongoing.”
On the abduction of the proprietor of Sure Polytechnic, Dr Idongesit Udom, the police boss said the command was still on it.
CP Awunah said: “On the kidnap of the Sure Polytechnic Proprietor in Ukanafun Local Government Area, we are on it. In any scenario of a case for kidnap for ransom, our primary objective is that we rescue or release the person before we now go after the criminals.
“Of cource, they (kidnappers) made all kinds of outrageous demand. We can assure you that soon or later he will be release like others.”
On the murder of Ukanafun Local Government Secretary, Mr. Ime Atakpa, the police boss said the command would unravel those behind the dastardly act.
His words: “I was at the scene of crime with the governor of the state. We have put in place special team on special assignment to unravel the circumstance surrounding the murder. Not only that, we are also working on community intelligence.
“Ukanafun needs a special treatment. First, it shares boundary with the neighboring state. You will accept the fact that borders are prone to crime because people will be crossing from one community to the other. So we are putting a special arrangement for Ukanafun.”
It was learnt yesterday by a family member to the kidnapped polytechnic proprietor, who did not want his name in print, that the kidnappers have reduced their ransom from N500million to N70million.