The Edo State Police Command has rescued eleven kidnap victims at different rescue operations along the Benin Auchi road after they were abducted by a gang of Kidnappers.
In a press release made available to journalists, the Police Public Relations Officer Kontongs Bello stated that the first rescue around ogbemudia farm was made possible by a combined team of police operatives and the military who engaged the Kidnappers in a gun duel which felled one of the suspected Kidnappers.
The police image maker while giving details of the incident in the press release said a cry for help got to the divisional Police Officer of Ehor Division CSP Benefa Benjamin who immediately mobilised a team of police operatives in collaboration with the military to the scene and were able to rescue an unconscious driver and wounded passenger of a Passat GL vehicle who had sustained bullet wounds on their heads and thighs from the sporadic shootings of the gang members in an attempt to kidnap the seven passengers of another vehicle.
They were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention while further bush combing led to the rescue of seven other victims, five male and two females unhurt. They have since been profiled and allowed to continue on their journey.
One locally made gun and one cartridge was recovered from the suspect who was gunned down while others escaped with various degree of bullet wounds.
The Police public relations officer however gave assurance to arrest the other fleeing gang members through diligent and Intensive bush combing.
Also read: Freed Kidnapped victims arrive Police Command in Zamfara
Similarly a combined team of police operatives from Ekpoma division and other security operatives rescued another six kidnapped victims unhurt in the early hours of Monday.
According to the Police public relations officer Kontongs Bello operatives of the Edo State Police Command in collaboration with the local vigilante and hunters acting on information that suspected kidnappers have accosted a Toyota Hiace Bus with Reg. No. AB 14 TR driven by one Abdullahi Adamu and kidnapped ten passengers along Igueben Opoji road while conveying a corpse from Taraba State to Iruekpen in Edo State for burial.
While efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining four victims and arrest the suspected kidnappers, Edo state commissioner of police Phillip Ogbadu has Commended members of the public for cooperating with the police by way of providing prompt and credible information on the activities of criminal elements in the state.
He however restated the command’s commitment to more robust patrols across the state especially on our highways, warning criminal elements to change their ways or risk being arrested to face the full wrath of the law.
(Editor Paul Akhagbemhe)
