Three kidnappers meet their Waterloo in Abia

Two members of a kidnapping gang terrorizing Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State and its environs have met their waterloo as personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Abia State Command engaged and killed them in a gun duel.

This is coming less than a week when the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police arrested and killed five members of a kidnapping gang that has been terrorizing Umuahia, the state capital, and its environs.

The incident, it was gathered occurred in Ekeapkara village in Osisioma Local Government Area of the state when the SARS operatives acting on a distress call stormed the community to rescue some kidnapped victims.

It was gathered that the SARS operatives on getting to the kidnappers’ den, rescued three victims that they held in captivity.

Confirming the killing, Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon said the hoodlums had on Friday and Saturday last week, abducted three persons in the commercial city, including a lady and whisked them to a location that was later tracked by the SARS operatives.

The CP said one Michael Maduabuchukwu, 39, was kidnapped at Ariaria Junction by St. Mary on Friday while Emeka Emeyeonu, 38, and Mercy Akuka (f), 30, were both abducted at Asa Umudim located off the heart of the commercial town.

Okon said after the incident, the command got intelligence that the kidnappers moved the victims to their hideout at Ekeakpara, Osisioma, near Aba.

The CP acting on a tip-off, detailed the SARS Commander in Abia, a Superintendent of Police (SP) Johnbull to fish out the hoodlums and rescue the victims from the kidnappers.

He said that the SARS Commander with his team stormed the kidnappers’ hideout and when the criminals saw the SARS team, they opened fire and the security operatives responded.

In a gun duel that ensued, the CP said two of the kidnappers were shot dead while others fled.

The three kidnapped victims were rescued while the guns used by the hoodlums were recovered.

According to Okon, “during the rescue operation, the hoodlums exchanged fire with the operatives, as a result, two of the kidnap suspects were gunned down and the guns they used were recovered”.

Okon who said the feat was in line with his resolve to leave Abia better than he met it security-wise, promised that efforts were in progress to arrest the fleeing members of their gang.

A family member of one of the rescued victims while speaking to our reporter in Aba on Monday confirmed that their relation, Emeka Emeyeonu has regained his freedom, but still in the custody of the SARS operatives in Umuahia.

According to the family source, Emeyeonu was coming back home when some boys numbering four overtook him and blocked his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

The family source who pleaded not to be named told our reporter that while they (kidnappers) were about taking off with their family friend, another car ran into them, but the driver of the vehicle escaped into the bush when the hoodlums approached his vehicle.

The source said that the kidnappers abandoned Emeyeonu’s car whose house is some meters away from the scene of the incident and used the other car to escape from the scene.

“The family said that they heard gunshot some distance from their house, but never knew that it was their breadwinner that was kidnapped.

“From what we were told, it was after the kidnappers had left, that members of the family learnt about his kidnap and afterward, started calling their relations over the incident.”

The family source who confirmed that Emeyeonu is in good condition except for some pains as a result of torture from the hoodlums added that Emeyeonu would likely go for a medical check to ensure that he didn’t sustain any internal injury.

The source while thanking the police for their prompt response, called for more support to security agencies from members of the public, as the source stated that it was prompt alertness and information to the police that contributed to the prompt action by the police operatives.