Kidnapping gang smashed in Anambra

The Anambra Police Command in South East Nigeria has announced that it has smashed a seven-man kidnap gang at Nkpor, near Onitsha, the News Agency of Nigeria has reported.

A top officer of the command, Mr Rowland Omatoje, said arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

He said 3 brand new cars, two AK 47 rifles, 56 live ammunition and five loaded magazines were recovered from them.Omatoje also paraded before newsmen a suspected kidnapper, Anayo Igwe.

He said during the raid on the hoodlums’ hideout, the police shot dead one and arrested one of the kidnappers while five others escaped with bullet wounds after a two-hour gun duel.“

The police team, acting on a tip-off on Feb. 25, stormed the hide-out of the gang. “The kidnap suspects had for three days held their victim, Chief Mike Orji, hostage at the hideout. “We stormed the building, believed to be owned by one of the kidnappers, and engaged them in a gun shoot-out for hours.“ During the raid, we killed one of the kidnappers known as Rugged, arrested another and rescued their victim.’’Omatoje said prior to the raid, the suspects had already entered into negotiations with the victim’s family and had settled for N30 million ransom.