THE Kaduna State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the rescue of Zhang Lijun, an expatriate staff CGC Construction Company, who was kidnapped in Zaria, Kaduna State.
One of the suspected kidnappers was arrested by the police.
The spokesman of the command, ASP Yakubu Sabo, who confirmed the rescue of the expatriate, told Newsmen that the police recovered some items from the suspected kidnapper.
He said that investigation into the kidnapping was ongoing and appealed to the public to furnish the police with information that would lead to the arrest of the other suspect.
Acxorsing to reports, the expatriate, an engineer, was abducted on his way to the site of Zaria Water Works from the town.
Giving an account of the incident, a competent source in the police, who pleaded anonymity, told Newsmen that the engineer was kidnapped on Monday at about 11.50 a.m. at Dakace on the outskirt of Zaria.
“The engineer with his driver, Haruna Mohammed, were returning to the site of Zaria Water Works from town when two men armed with a pistol accosted them, dropped the driver from the vehicle and drove away with Lijun.
“The suspected kidnappers, Paul Ochalla from Rivers state and one other person from Akwa-Ibom, who is now at large, tried to run away with the foreigner but they ran out of luck,” the source said.
The source added that some good Samaritans, who suspected the movement of the Hilux vehicle, alerted both the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of Zaria city and Tudun Wada Quarters.
“The police immediately swung into action and arrested Paul Ochalla at Zaria Eid Praying Ground around Kofar Doka.
“It is confirmed that the suspected kidnapper was a former staff of Zaria Water Works who was dismissed last year due to his dubious acts.
“He was caught removing valves being installed at particular places.
“After the arrest, the driver, who was at the police command, confirmed that the suspect was the one that attacked them.
“The Area Commander, Zaria Police Area Command, ACP Abdullahi Ibrahim had visited the site and advised the company to investigate the background of people before employing them,” the source added.
