Two suspected kidnappers have been killed and another arrested by the police in Delta State.
The suspects said to have terorrised Ughelli and Warri areas were killed in two operations carried out on January 16 and 18 by operatives attached to the Ughelli and Ekpan divisions.
The state police spokesman, Bright Edafe, said the dragon patrol teams 19 and 20 received information on Wednesday evening while on stop and search duty around Quest FM, along Ughelli/Patani Expressway, that a man had earlier been kidnapped.
Edafe said they swung to action and with the community’s help, they rescued the victim.
He added: “The policemen, with active support of community members, trailed them to Patani road, where the hoodlums, on noticing that the police were closing in on them, drove recklessly and were in an accident.
“The police quickly intercepted the car while trying to flee the scene, arrested one of the suspects, named Lucky Owofasa (28), of Ewu community, Ughelli North council. A cut-to-size locally-made gun and three live cartridges were recovered from him while others escaped. The victim who was locked in the boot of the car was rescued unhurt and reunited with his family. Manhunt for the other fleeing members of the gang is ongoing.”
Giving details on the January 16 incident, Edafe said a distress call was received about 5pm at the Owvian Aladja Police Station, that a male body was found on the expressway close to Ujevwu junction in Udu council.
“Acting on this information, detectives were detailed to the scene and the body, identified as Efe Peter (26), a native of Egiegi community, was retrieved. He was shot by armed robbers who took his tricycle. The body was evacuated to the mortuary. On the same day, a good spirited individual reported at the station that the deceased was his tricycle rider, and the tricycle has a tracking device installed on it.
“It was on this information that the operatives swung into action, trailed and located the tricycle to Warri/Sapele road by Mercy City Church where the robbers, on sighting the police, opened fire in a bid to escape and the police responded accordingly.
“In the ensuing gun duel, one of the suspects was neutralised, while the other suspect who sustained a serious gunshot injury was arrested. He confessed to the murder of the deceased and revealed that his other gang members were one Kparobo, Smally Macaiver and Progress, all residing in Ekpan.
“One cut to size locally-made single barrel gun, one live and two expended cartridges were recovered while the injured suspect was taken to the hospital where he later died while receiving treatment. Effort is on to arrest the other gang members,” Edafe added.