Tony Osauzo, Benin
Four suspected kidnappers were killed in a shootout with personnel of the Edo State Police Command.
Two other suspects currently in police custody were arrested when their armoury was located in a bush after Ogba River in the outskirts of Benin City through electronic monitoring of their activities.
The policemen were allegedly attacked in an ambush by members of the gang.
The ensuing exchange of gunfire left four of the suspected kidnappers dead while others who were said to be on standby in a boat were said to have fled through the river.
The gang, according to report, was preparing to carry out a high profile kidnap when the police encountered them on Tuesday morning.
The state Commissioner of Police, Danmallam Mohammed, while confirming the incident yesterday, said it would have been a tragedy if his men were not at alert when they fell into the ambush.
He said: “It is not a case of gunning down the kidnappers, the police officers were ambushed but our men were at alert and responded quickly and swiftly and killed four of the kidnappers in the course of the attack while others escaped with gunshot injuries. Our men were at alert otherwise it would have been a different story on our part.”
In another development, two commercial motorcycle riders were robbed and killed in Etsako West Local Government Area. One of the victims was killed in the early hours of yesterday in Auchi, headquarters of the local government.
The General Secretary, Etsako West Chapter of Automated Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), Momodu Kassim, who confirmed the killing, said they were in a meeting with the Area Police Commander in Auchi to assess the security situation. He said one of the victims was from Otuo in Owan East Local Government Area.
“They killed another one today and we have just gone to bury him. He is an Hausa boy and he just bought the new Okada about two weeks ago. They killed him near old Prison Quarters near the NYSC Secretariat area and went away with his bike. The other one is Jatto William from Otuo. That one happened along Winners Road by Powerline in Sabo Quarters that links Winners Road to mechanic village. He just bought the Okada less than five days before he was killed,” Kassim said.