Blessing Okorite, Port Harcourt
The joint operatives of the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit and Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Rivers State Police Command, on Thursday, killed five notorious kidnap suspects along Ubima Road in the state.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the incident to The Nigerian Xpress, said the joint operatives, led DCP Benneth Igwe, stormed a thick forest in Ubima, in Ikwerre Local Government Area, in search of some victims who were kidnapped in Port Harcourt enroute Onitsha in Anambra State.
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Omoni disclosed that the suspects engaged the police operatives on gun battle but were overpowered them and killed the numbers of the kidnappers, rescued some victims who have been in the bandits den for days.
Omoni’s words: “The Rivers State Police Command has in its avowed commitment to rid the command of all criminal elements, at the early hours of today March 28, 2019, in a joint operation by men of the IGP Monitoring Unit and Anti-Kidnapping Unit led by the Commander, DCP Benneth Igweh, in a sting operation stormed a thick forest at Uzohia and Ubima both in Ikwerre L.G.A where four kidnap victims, namely: Cecilia Nnamdi ‘F’, Chuks Daniel ‘M’, Miguel Jerry ‘F’ and Miracle Okeke ‘F’ who were kidnapped along Ubima road on March 18, 2019 alongside 9 others earlier released.
“The passengers were kidnapped in a commercial bus traveling from Port Harcourt to Onitsha taken to the forest.
“The kidnappers who were still keeping the remaining four victims and waiting for ransom, met their waterloo this afternoon, when they engaged the Police in a shootout in the forest, resulting in the deaths of the five of them, while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
”Meanwhile, all four victims were rescued unhurt, debriefed and released to their waiting parents for medical attention.”
The PPRO disclosed that One AK47 rifle, one magazine loaded with 25 rounds, one Locally made Pistol, eight live cartridges, two pump action guns and two machetes, were recovered from the suspects.
Omoni reiterate the state Commissioner of Police, CP Usman A. Belel, commitment to rid the State of all criminal elements and enjoins the people to continue to support the Command with useful information that can lead to the arrest of these hoodlums.
