Police Rescue 10 Passengers After Gun Battle With Suspected Kidnappers

Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have rescued 10 passengers abducted last Tuesday while travelling on the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road in the Ogun State corridor.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the passengers were rescued around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday after a gun battle with their abductors which resulted in the death of one of the suspected kidnappers.

The command’s spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement he issued yesterday where he disclosed that the victims were earlier abducted from a commercial bus at the Orita Fufu axis of Awa-Ijebu in the Ijebu North East local government area.

Babaseyi, in the statement, explained that the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AK-U) of the command had at the wee hours of yesterday, stormed the suspected hideout of the kidnappers, located along the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Highway, where a gun battle between the criminals ensued.

He explained that the gun duel, which culminated in the death of one of the suspected kidnappers, was a fallout of the sustained security pressure and intelligence-led efforts embarked upon by the command towards securing the rescue of the victims.

“In a follow-up operation at about 1:00 a.m. on 8th November, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit stormed the suspected kidnappers’ hideout along the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road, where a gun battle ensued.

One suspected kidnapper was neutralised, while others escaped with suspected gunshot wounds”.

The police spokesman stated further that items recovered from the criminals after the gun battle included an AK-47 rifle; a 20-rounds of ammunition, a total sum of ₦1, 376, 800 cash and a mobile phone.

Babaseyi disclosed that operatives of the command have intensified efforts towards ensuring the arrest of the fleeing suspects.

The police however, appealed to members of the public to promptly report anyone sighted with suspicious gunshot wounds so as to ensure the successful arrest of other members of the gang that escaped from the gun battle.