23rd August, 2021
Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have gunned down a suspected kidnapper, arrested three others and rescued four kidnapped victims at Central Primary School, Mbutu Okeohia in Ngor Okpala LGA.
The kidnapped victims were Chinenye Odika, 27, the mother to Chika Mark, 9, Chisom Mark, 14 and Princess Odika, 6-month-old.
In a release on Monday by CSP Michael Abattam, spokesperson of the Imo Police Command, the operation began when Obinna Odika, husband and father to the kidnapped victim reported the case on Thursday, 19th August.
CSP Abattam said the report was disseminated to all the police formations and tactical units.
He noted that officers of the Ngor Okpala police Division Patrol Team that Thursday arrested three members of the kidnapping gang.
The arrested suspects are Udochukwu Edmund, 38, Uba Edmund, 45, and John Okoroafor, 33.
CSP Abattam in the statement said the suspect confessed to the crime on interrogation and led the command’s tactical team to their hideout in a forest in Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State.
“Other members of the kidnapping gang on sighting the police fired shots and a gun duel ensued as one of the kidnappers was neutralised while two other were arrested with bullet injuries.
“The police recovered one pump action gun, three locally made Pistols, 14 rounds of live cartridges and N361 thousand at the kidnapper’s hideout,” he said.
One sea blue coloured Sienna vehicle with registration number, WER 969 ZE and a motorcycle with registration number KWE 310 QX used by the suspects in kidnapping the victims were also recovered.
The two injured suspects were taken to the Federal Medical Centre Owerri, for medical treatment, the statement noted.