Police ‘kill two kidnappers’ in gun duel, rescue victim in Enugu

The police command in Enugu has reportedly killed two suspected kidnappers and rescued their victim on the outskirts of the metropolis.

The command also recovered the victim’s black-coloured Lexus 350 jeep alongside one locally made revolver gun loaded with four cartridges.

Another locally fabricated pistol belonging to the suspects was also recovered.

Daniel Ndukwe, spokesperson of the command, said operatives, led by Olasoji Akinbayo, deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations, carried out the successful operation on August 20 at about 8pm at Centenary layout along Enugu/Port-Harcourt expressway.

He said the operatives were drawn from the NPF special forces, Awkunanaw police division and tactical teams of the command.

“Following the policing thrust and renewed crime fighting impetus of the state’s commissioner of police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, a combined team of police operatives rescued a male kidnap victim after a gun fight with the hoodlums,” he said.

“One of the miscreants, simply identified as “baron”, was neutralised on the spot in the ensuing shootout, while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

“However, further manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang led to the discovery and recovery of the lifeless body of the second neutralised hoodlum.

“The second neutralised hoodlum was simply identified as Chukwunonso a.k.a. “nolly”, in the morning hours of August 21 in a forest at the location of the gun duel.”

Ndukwe said the two neutralised suspects had been on the watchlist of the command.

He said the operational success was due to the swift response to a distress call.

The police spokesman commended the operatives for quickly adapting to his newly introduced crime-fighting strategies.

He said the commissioner had tasked police officers and other personnel of the command to sustain the tempo.

“There will be no breathing space for unrepentant criminals in the state, under his watch as the commissioner of police,” he added.