9th May, 2012
The Rivers Police command at about 7.30 pm last night rescued a Port Harcourt-based businessman kidnapped on 3 May, 2012 at about 10 p.m.
The N3 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers was also recovered, while one of the kidnappers was killed during a gun battle.
The businessman, simply called Otunba, was taken hostage while driving into his house in the Rivers state capital, Southsouth Nigeria, and kept in Okujagu Port Harcourt mangrove forest.
According a situation report from Benjamin Ugwuegbulem, the Rivers state Police Command Public Relations officer, a combined team of Rivers State policemen stormed the Okujagu forest hideout of the four gangsters who kidnapped Otunba.
As the police stormed the hideout, there was a shootout resulting in the death of one of the hoodlums, yet to be identified, while others escaped into the mangrove.
The police rescued the victim and the sum of N3 million ransom demanded by the hoodlums, was recovered.
The rescued victim was immediately taken to hospital for medical treatment, while efforts are being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.
—Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt