A combine team of the Nigerian Army attached to 222 battalion in Agbarho Otor and the Nigeria police ‘A’ division, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, Monday evening stormed suspected kidnappers’ operation base inside Ughelli forest, and allegedly killed one of the suspects during an exchange of gun fire.
It was gathered that the suspect, identified as Efe Johnson, a suspected hardened kidnapper, was allegedly killed in a gun battle with the security operatives who reportedly opened fire on the suspects at their operation base, when they arrived there in anger, even as other suspected members of the gang escaped with bullet wounds.
It would be recalled that a few weeks ago, a top PDP member was kidnapped at her farm in Ogor community where a ransom was allegedly paid to secure her release. The development is also coming on the heels of the abduction and subsequent escape of a Senior Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Conflict Resolution, Chief Okiemute Oviri, who was abducted by a gang of hoodlums along Orogun road but escaped from the kidnappers’ den in the early hours of Saturday.
Confirming the incident to newsmen in Asaba, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Andrew Aniamaka disclosed that the deceased suspect, Efe Johnson, in company of three other members of his gang, was shot along the Oviri Ogor road in Ughelli north council area, during an attempt to abduct one Mrs Tracy Panshark.
DSP Andrew Aniamaka said, “The hoodlums had succeeded in abducting the woman who they forced to lie flat on the floor of the back seat of her Solana coupe car when they were accosted by the security operatives who engaged them in a gun battle. During the shootout, one of the kidnappers was shot from behind, while the others escaped with their arms and pump action rifles, unfortunately for him, he died after giving useful information to the security operatives. The security operatives stormed the tick forest of the kidnappers inside Oginibo community in Ughelli community on intelligence gathering.”
He however stated that the combined security operatives were on the trail of the fleeing suspects.
Since the killing of the kidnap suspect, the entire Ughelli community have been gripped by tension, especially in the evening when the operatives shoot sporadically in the air to scare criminals including armed robbery suspects.
A resident of Ughelli town, who spoke to newsmen on the condition of anonymity, said, “This is what we want in the entire Ughelli community so that the hoodlums will run away from our communities. It was really a well done job by the security operatives. We need more of such.”
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