No fewer than 27 suspected kidnappers have met their Waterloo in Enugu State.
The suspects were neutralised during gun duels with security operatives at different parts of the state.
This disclosure by Onochie Ezeh, a superintendent of police, who is leader of the security team, was on Wednesday made public in a statement issued by the media team of Governor Peter Mbah of the state.
According to the statement, some of those shot dead were members of Simon Ekpa’s AutoPilot, a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Ezeh disclosed that a seven-member gang of kidnappers tracked down in Ogbeke-Nike where they allegedly used a large poultry farm to hide their hostages, were among the slain suspects.
Wednesday’s killing of the suspects was a continuation of the sustained operations in the state to flush out criminal elements operating from other neighbouring states.
“We were on the trail of these kidnappers for more than three months now. They had been operating within this axis where they kidnapped their victims and kept them at a large poultry farm at Ogbeke-Nike until ransoms were paid,” he said.
“So, following a tip-off from members of the public who suspected the strange movements in the area and the accounts of some of the victims of these criminals, we swung into action.
“On sighting us, these men of the underworld opened fire on my men, and we quickly retaliated and overpowered them with our superior firepower.”
Mr Ezeh added that the security team, set up by Governor Mbah, had tremendous success in its assignment of ridding the state of criminals.
He further said: “This is a gallant crack squad with the mandate to eliminate every form of threat in the state. We have recorded huge successes over the past months. You know our role is not to rush to the media to tell our story but to ensure that every citizen and resident of the state has peace.
“I can tell you that we have already neutralised over seven criminal gangs who were mostly kidnappers and unknown gunmen.
“We are going after them. We are taking the battle to their doorsteps because the governor said we should not come back home if we don’t completely rid the state of threats,” he stated.
Ezeh also disclosed that his team had identified many criminal hideouts where kidnap victims and dangerous weapons are kept.
He named duch as New Artisan Market, Akwuke Community, Akegbe-Ugwu, Four Corners, Awgu, Mgbowo, Emene, Eke and Afa and other communities in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, over 30 suspected kidnappers were killed by the security team during separate operations at the hideouts.
