Asaba — POLICE in Delta State have killed two
supposed hostage takers and arrested eight suspected kidnappers,
including three females in separate gun battles with two kidnap gangs at
Ozoro in Isoko North Local Government Area and Onicha- Olona in Aniocha
North Local Government Area of the state.
However, some youths attempted, yesterday, to raze the Ozoro Police Station, because of the killing of one of the suspected kidnappers, but police repelled the offensive and have tightened security in the town.
In the last 48 hours, police also made remarkable inroad in routing kidnappers from the state, as they recovered AK 47 and other dangerous weapons from kidnap gangs and rescued a secondary school principal and another victim.
Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects and the botched attempt to raze Ozoro Police Station, told Vanguard: "I will not accept attack on my men or any police station for no cause.
"We have our information about the kidnap gang that kidnapped the wife of Professor Mokobia since last month and we traced the retreating kidnappers to their hideout, where they opened fire at my men and we returned fire for fire."
How Police nabbed abductors
On how police tracked down the kidnappers, he said: "I do not have to give you the details, but the truth is that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N1.2 million. Unknown to them, we had been monitoring them and we had our counter plan. So we followed the ransom after they collected it to their base, which they cleverly hid for one month.
"Wife of one Professor Mokobia was kidnapped from their residence, off Umuebu Road, Obiaruku on April 9 by the kidnappers. Since then, they had kept her and we got information they were asking for N1.2 million ransom on that day.
"As soon as we confirmed that the ransom was in their possession, our team, which was acting on scientific information, moved in and trailed them to a den at Uremu Road, Ozoro and on sighting my men, they opened fire.
"During the exchange of gunfire, one Vote Michael was hit and three females, one Esther, Jennifer and Oreve who were in possession of the ransom money were arrested, while two others escaped with bullet wounds."
However, some youths attempted, yesterday, to raze the Ozoro Police Station, because of the killing of one of the suspected kidnappers, but police repelled the offensive and have tightened security in the town.
In the last 48 hours, police also made remarkable inroad in routing kidnappers from the state, as they recovered AK 47 and other dangerous weapons from kidnap gangs and rescued a secondary school principal and another victim.
Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects and the botched attempt to raze Ozoro Police Station, told Vanguard: "I will not accept attack on my men or any police station for no cause.
"We have our information about the kidnap gang that kidnapped the wife of Professor Mokobia since last month and we traced the retreating kidnappers to their hideout, where they opened fire at my men and we returned fire for fire."
How Police nabbed abductors
On how police tracked down the kidnappers, he said: "I do not have to give you the details, but the truth is that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N1.2 million. Unknown to them, we had been monitoring them and we had our counter plan. So we followed the ransom after they collected it to their base, which they cleverly hid for one month.
"Wife of one Professor Mokobia was kidnapped from their residence, off Umuebu Road, Obiaruku on April 9 by the kidnappers. Since then, they had kept her and we got information they were asking for N1.2 million ransom on that day.
"As soon as we confirmed that the ransom was in their possession, our team, which was acting on scientific information, moved in and trailed them to a den at Uremu Road, Ozoro and on sighting my men, they opened fire.
"During the exchange of gunfire, one Vote Michael was hit and three females, one Esther, Jennifer and Oreve who were in possession of the ransom money were arrested, while two others escaped with bullet wounds."
