The police and the State Security Service yesterday said a gang of kidnappers led by an ex-policeman that recently abducted Ms Nkeiruka Sylvanus, Senior Special Assistant to Imo State governor, has been arrested in a joint effort.

Sylvanus, a popular actress, was abducted on December 15 alongside Uche Okoli and Kenneth Okolie at Nworie Stree in Owerri by three gunmen. They were released on December 21 after payment of N8 million ransom.

SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, said at joint press briefing with police spokesman, Frank Mba, that the suspects were arrested by the two agencies. She said six suspects were in custody of the SSS while three were detained by the police. She said the suspects with the Service included Ndidi Nwokama Cletus a-k-a Mathew Ofurum 30, Stanley Asonna 27, Aminu Musa (Aboki) 40, Mohammed Abubakar 34, Obinna Okwuolisa 30 and Samson Chinedu Onwuka (VIP) 24. Cletus was a dismissed police officer who confessed to be the leader of the nine-man gang that kidnapped Sylvanus and two others.

She said the suspects would be transferred to police.