Two of the people that kidnapped Nollywood actress, Nkiruka Sylvanus, in Imo State, were former cattle traders from the Northern part of Nigeria, security officials have said.
The leader of the gang that carried out the kidnap is from Imo State and was a police officer with the mobile police unit.
The six suspects that carried out the kidnap were paraded at the State Security Service, SSS, Headquarters in Abuja onTuesday at a joint press briefing by the SSS and the police.
Ms. Sylvanus, actress and aide to the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, was kidnapped on December 15 at about 7:30 p.m. alongside two men- Uche Okoliand Kenneth Okoli- at Nworie Street, Akanchawa roundaboutarea of Imo State by three gunmen.
They were kept in a bush around Avu junction for six days and were released on December 21 after a ransom of N8 million was paid.
The paraded men are Ndidi Cletus, also known as Mattew Ofurum; Stanley Asouna; Aminu Musa; Muhammed Abubakar; Obinna Okolisa; and Samson Onwuka.
The culprits
The leader of the gang, Mr. Cletus, is a former mobile police constable who was dismissed in 2007. Mr. Cletus, 30, confessed to joining the police in 2004 with the name, Mattew Ofurum. He told security officials that he was dismissed for absenting himself from duty for 21 days due to ill health in 2007.
It was Mr. Cletus who lured other members into the gang.
Mr. Musa, 40, was a cattle trader and battery charger from Taraba State. He and Mr. Abubakar, 34, a cattle rearer from Nassarawa State, were responsible for taking care of their victims. The fifth accused, Mr. Okwolisa was a trader and Keke napep operator before he ventured into the kidnapping business.
The gang members admitted tocarrying out several other kidnap operations getting ransom payments of 1.9 million, 3 million and 1.5 million and so on.
The men are to be charged to court soon.