A 16-year-old boy, Favour Ayogu, allegedly abducted in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, has been rescued after his abductors abandoned him near a security checkpoint in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The boy was reportedly dumped at Ekene Junction along Oguta Road after security operatives intercepted the vehicle conveying him and pursued the fleeing suspects.
The spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the rescue followed a joint security operation conducted on Sunday night.
According to Ikenga, members of a joint patrol team stationed at Ekene Junction noticed the victim after he was allegedly dropped from a black Toyota Highlander SUV by unidentified persons close to the checkpoint.
He said the operatives immediately moved in, rescued the teenager and ensured he received assistance, while the suspects escaped from the scene.
The statement read, “The Anambra State Police Command has intensified efforts to apprehend a suspected criminal gang following the rescue of a 16-year-old boy, Favour Ayogu, who was allegedly abducted in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State and later abandoned near a security checkpoint in Onitsha.
“The rescue followed improved strategic joint security operations conducted on the evening of Sunday, September 13, 2026.
“A joint patrol team operating at Ekene Junction along Oguta Road, Onitsha, intercepted the victim after he was reportedly dropped from a black Toyota Highlander SUV by unidentified persons close to the security checkpoint.”
Ikenga said the command had stepped up surveillance and intelligence-driven operations aimed at identifying and apprehending those behind the alleged abduction.
He appealed to residents, particularly those in Igboeze South and Ibagwa-Aka in Enugu State, who might have information about the victim or his family to contact the nearest police station or the Anambra State Police Command.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Ama, commended the joint patrol team for its alertness and professionalism, urging officers to sustain coordinated patrols, strategic checkpoints and intelligence-led operations across the state.
The police said the command remained committed to protecting residents and visitors, responding promptly to distress calls and denying criminal elements safe haven in the state.
As of the time of filing this report, the command had not disclosed whether any suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident.