The Police in Aba, Abia state have stormed a kidnappers’ den located at Iheorji community in Aba South Local Government Area of the state, rescued two persons and recovered an AK 47 Rifle.
The rescued victims identified as Tony Chidera and Okezie Usim were said to have been kidnapped at different spots in the city and kept at a hideout in Iheorji community before the police acting on a tip off invaded the area.
Close associates of the victims who declined to have their names on print hinted that they were making efforts to raise the ransom earlier demanded by the kidnappers before the police struck.
A member of the Anti Robbery Squad of the Aba Area Command who carried out the operation added that the Iheorji community where the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu hails from is notorious for criminal hideouts and drug spots.
He added that problem of bad road in the area has made policing the community and environs difficult.
According to him, “one of the kidnappers was gunned down when he engaged the police in a gun battle, with others badly injured. Among the injured was one Ifeanyi Gabriel who on interrogation confessed that another suspect, Chinedu Agu Umunna escaped from the den during the shootout. We also recovered one fully loaded AK47 rifle at the kidnappers’ den.
Abia State Police Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Adamu Ibrahim who confirmed the rescue of the victims and recovery of the arms called on residents of the city to assist the police with information about suspected criminals and assured that such would be treated with strict confidence.