Two suspected kidnappers were neutralized by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command on Tuesday following an exchange of gunfire.
Nigerian Tribune recalls that kidnappers last Friday, killed one and abducted seven people along the Sagamu -Ijebu Ode highway.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola, in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday evening, explained that a sum of N7.9 million and 1500 Indian Rupees were recovered from the hoodlums, who have been terrorizing the highway.
Odutola said a rescue operation was carried out by the Police with the support of local vigilance men at about 4.30 pm, and that three Indian nationals identified as Tejaram Chauhan; Kaduwal Pradhan and Medani Kathiwada were rescued during the operations.
She informed that the Police received a distress call for a spirited Nigerian that some hoodlums on May 3rd opened fire on two Hilux buses conveying passengers numbering about 16 around Kajola junction, along the Expressway.
The informant explained that a Police escort attached to the first Hilux buses marked FST 686 YH exchanged fire with the kidnappers and managed to escape with all the occupants in the vehicle, while three Indian Nationals; Tejaram Chauhan, Kaduwal Pradhan and Medani Kathiwada inside the second bus without police escort were all kidnapped to an unknown destination.
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Odutola said, “The anti-kidnapping section of the command in concert with police formations in the axis with other local security agents swung into action by combing the area.
“The policemen engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun battle confronting the kidnappers in the forest along Benin-Sagamu Papalanto at about 1630hrs of 7th May 2024, and succeeded in the rescue of the victims unhurt.
“In the course of the encounter, two of the six kidnappers were demobilized, two AK 47 riffles, one single barrel locally made gun, one sword, cell phone and criminal charms and 65 round of ammunition were also recovered.
“The likely ransom loot of the two demobilized kidnappers of the sum of Seven million nine hundred thousand naira (N7.900.000) and one thousand five hundred Rupees of (Indian currency) were also recovered.
“The two demobilized suspects have been deposited at the public mortuary, while intensive efforts are ongoing to arrest the four fleeing members of the kidnap gang”.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
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