Paulette Bisola Ajayi, a female lawyer and an employee of the British High Commission, Paul Nyulaku, have been rescued by the Rivers State Police Command after engaging their abductors in a gun duel on Wednesday night.
The duo was abducted on Sunday from different parts of Port Harcourt and taken to a forest in Etche by members of the gang while ransoms were demanded from their families.
Joseph Mukan, the Rivers State Police commissioner said during a briefing on Thursday that the operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit in a sting operation stormed the hideout of the kidnappers at about 9:30 pm on Wednesday and engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle.
He added that the operatives rescued the victims at Okomoko forest in Etche Local Government.
According to Mukan, one of the kidnappers, Chinedu Chigbu, 39, was fatally injured during the shootout and later died in a hospital while members of his gang escaped with gunshot injuries.
According to him: “Their camp was immediately destroyed. Exhibits recovered from them include one AK47 rifle, a fully loaded magazine and 100 rounds of live ammunition. Efforts are on to arrest members of the gang.
“The public particularly residents of Etche and Eberi-Omuma LGA are hereby enjoined to increase their security consciousness and report anybody with gunshot wounds to the nearest police station”.
