The Delta State Police Command says it has gunned down three suspected kidnappers along the Asaba/Benin expressway.
It was gathered that the suspected kidnappers had ambushed their victims on Sunday when men of the Rapid Response Squad of the command in Asaba ran into them.
A gun duel was said to have ensued, leading to the death of three members of the gang with two escaping into the bush.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the state Police spokesperson, DSP Bright Edafe said, “On 5/6/2022 at about 1235hrs, Operatives of Command’s Rapid Response Squad while on undercover anti-crime patrol along Asaba/Benin expressway, some armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers numbering about five {5} suddenly emerged from the bush around Umunede, and fired gunshots at the space bus in an attempt to rob and possibly kidnap the occupants, unknown to them that the occupants were undercover police operatives.
“The team smartly disembarked from the vehicle and returned fire. The armed hoodlums realizing that their potential victims were policemen ran into the bush. The team went into a fierce gun duel with the hoodlums during which three {3} members of the gang were fatally wounded and one fabricated revolver pistol, six {06} 7.62mm live ammunition, four {04} expended 7.62mm ammunition were recovered from them.
“The injured hoodlums were taken to the hospital but died while receiving treatment. Manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang is ongoing.”
The command also said, “On 04/06/2022 at about 1445hrs, acting on a tip-off, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cult Unit, raided a criminal hideout in an uncompleted building along Mariam Babangida way opposite North-West Filling Station, Asaba, Delta State during which five hundred and forty {540} rounds of live cartridges, three {03} Elepac Generators, one solar light, one {01} Singer sewing machine, two {02} television sets and one {01} Lifan motorcycle, all suspected to have been stolen were recovered and the suspect named Suleiman Musa ‘m’ aged 48 was arrested. An investigation is ongoing.”
In related development, operatives of the Eagle-Net Special Squad have arrested a twenty-year-old passenger, Edea Samuel ‘m’ age 20yrs with a large quàntity of illicit and hard drugs.
The suspect was apprehended along the Asaba Ogwashi-Uku expressway in the state during a stop and search by the Police.
“On 5/6/2022 at about 1600hrs, Operatives of Eagle-Net Special Squad while on Aberdeen system of patrol along Asaba Ogwashi-Uku expressway, intercepted a commercial vehicle which they subjected to search, during which four thousand and fifty-four {4,054} wraps of substance suspected to be Cocaine, nine hundred and fifty-four {954} wraps of heroin were recovered on a bag belonging to one of the passengers named Edea Samuel ‘m’ aged 20 of Ochele Street off Ojugbana Drive Ezenei, Asaba. An investigation is ongoing,” the statement added.
