IGP Idris

The Police said on Friday that it has smashed two notorious kidnap gangs operating in Kogi State and its environs through its Intelligence Response Team.

Don Awunah, spokesperson for the Police who announced this in a statement also said four victims of the gangs were rescued in the course of the operations at different locations in the State.

Awunah, a deputy commissioner of Police said in the statement: “In a special intelligence led operation conducted by the operatives of the Intelligence Response Team of the IGP’s Monitoring Unit at different black spots in Kogi State, three members of a notorious kidnap gang that has for a while operated in major cities in Kogi and neighbouring States were trailed and arrested at their hideouts in the outskirt of Egume and Anyimgba Towns in Kogi State.

“The leader of the gang who gave his name as Ibrahim Nasarawa led the operatives of Intelligence Response Team to their den where Edward Abutu Amedu was held hostage.

“On sighting the  Operatives, the armed guards who were stationed by the gang to keep watch over their victims opened fire on the Police and the operatives responded and overpowered them in a tactical operation that saw three members of the kidnap gang  suffer fatal injuries while their victim was rescued unhurt.

Sadly, Two (2) of our men sustained gunshot injuries and are currently responding to treatment in the hospital while the other members of the gang escaped with bullet wounds.

“In another coordinated operation based on credible intelligence generated by Operatives of the intelligence Response Team, three members of a dare-devil kidnap gang that abducted Mrs. Mayo Ohemi, Nichodemus Kadiri and Miss Victoria Abdul from Acharu Egume area of Kogi State were arrested and their confession led to the rescue of the victims who were incarcerated in the kidnappers’ camp from where they demanded a ransom of twenty million naira.

“The rescued victims who sustained various degrees of injuries in the hands of their abductors are now receiving treatment in the Hospital.

He listed the suspects arrested in the course of the operations by the Police as  Ojonimi Negedu,  Awodi Ezekiel  and Micheal Sule.

The Force spokesperson added that the onslaught on criminal elements in Kogi State is designed by the Inspector-General of Police to stem the tide of kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery and other criminal activities.

He added that the operation will be sustained until all the criminal elements are flushed out of the State.