7th October, 2013
The Police Area Commander in Aba, Abia, ACP Rabiu Dayi, on Monday said that the police rescued a kidnapped businessman in the town.
Dayi told newsmen in Aba that the police smashed a gang of kidnappers terrorising Aba.
“We called you up this morning to show you another achievement we have recorded in crime fighting in Aba.
“Two kidnappers were gunned down by my men last week.
“Yesterday (Sunday) at about 10.a.m, a young businessman, whose name I will not mention for security reasons, went to No. 36 Omenazu Street, off Faulks Road, Aba to cut his hair.
“Four armed young men in a white-colour Toyota Hilux van followed him into the salon and kidnapped him at gun point.
“When I got the information around 1.00 p.m., we started searching for information.
“We were reliably informed that the man was taken to Nwakanma’s compound at Amavo, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway,” Dayi said.
The commander said that the police trailed the kidnappers to the compound which was alleged to be used by kidnappers as hideout.
According to him, in an early morning gun battle between the police and the gang, one person was killed while others escaped with bullet wounds.
Dayi said that the victim was rescued unhurt while the police recovered two AK 47 rifles with 49 rounds of ammunition and two motorcycles from the hideout.
The commander called on residents of Abia and neighbouring states to be watchful and to report anybody with bullet wounds to the nearest police station for further action.
The commander urged people to be careful and to inform the police if they found any vehicle trailing them.
He said that members of the gang that robbed people at gunpoint at Iheorji in Aba South Local Government Area had been caught and would be charged to court.
Dayi, however, said that many cases were being stalled in courts in Aba because people were afraid of testifying against criminals, adding that such stance made things hard to try criminals in the area.
Dayi said people who testified in courts and volunteered information that would help to get judgments against criminals threatening the peace of the society, would get “full protection”.