Police in Aba, Abia state have shot dead a kidnapper while three others fled with bullet wounds at a village in Osisioma local council of Abia state.
The four man gang operating in a Hilux van with an undisclosed Abuja registration number, on Sunday abducted an Aba based businessman at a barbing salon at 36 Omenazu Street in Aba.
Briefing journalist at his office, Aba Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, ACP Rabiu Dayi, said his men swung into action when they received a distress call that kidnappers had struck at the area.
According to him, they traced the kidnappers to the one Nwakanma family house which they use as their hideout in Umudaba village in Osisioma Ngwa on the Aba section of the Enugu — Port Harcourt Expressway.
Dayi added that his men overpowered the kidnappers after an exchange of fire as one of them fell to the superior firepower of the police while three others fled with bullet wounds.
“When we got to the hideout after the exchange of gunfire, we saw the businessman chained hands and feet. From information available to the police, somebody in Abuja bought this Hilux jeep for them. We are closing on them. They have no place to hide unless they relocate.”
Items recovered from the kidnappers’ hideout include two AK 47 with 49 rounds of live ammunition each, two motorcycles and handsets.
According to him, “The businessman was at the salon to barb his men and 3 members of the gang entered pretending to want to have a hair cut. They pointed a gun at the man and took him away. When we traced them to their hideout in a village at Osisioma Ngwa local government along the Expressway, they opened fire on the police but we subdued them and rescued the victim unhurt.”
He also disclosed that the kidnappers also operating in some areas of Imo state like Nekede and Orlu where they abduct people and move them to their hideout in the village along the Express road.
The Area Commander called on the residents of the city to watch out for people with bullet wounds and report same to the police.
“Residents should assist us with information about criminals. The Ember months are here, we are assuring residents that if they provide information, we will storm any hideout within 5 minutes.” he said.
