By Cajetan Mmuta
Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command have rescued four victims from a gang of kidnappers terrorizing residents and some parts of the state.
The victims were abducted on Sunday from two separate locations in Oko and Ekwuluobia in Orumba North and Aguata local government areas of the state.
A quick intervention of men of the various police divisions in the affected areas in collaboration with the tactical team of the state command helped to rescue the victims at Oba town in the Idemili South council area.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ikenga Toochukwu a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), when contacted yesterday said: “Oko, yes; we got information around 1:30 pm that some persons were abducted and when that information got to us, it was not up to 30 minutes when we got another information that some persons were abducted in Ekwuluobia. We embarked on a rescue operation and the men we drafted were from the various divisions that are covering those areas. There were some operatives from the command who went to help them there.”
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He explained that “based on the rescue operation, we had an encounter with them (abductors) along Oba Road and most of the victims were rescued, in fact, four of them were rescued.” He added that the kidnap victims were within the age brackets of between 40 and 60 years.
Ikenga further stated that “based on intelligence gathered, which indicates the location of kidnap in a town in Aniocha local government area, police operatives working with the vigilante stormed the location, on Sunday, 5th June 2022, and rescued the victim and arrested one Emeka who was suspected on complicity in the crime.”
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According to the command’s spokesperson, “upon interrogation, he (Emeka) confessed to the crime and led detectives to the hideout of his gang in Oba in Idemili South LGA where detectives engaged the gangsters in a shootout. The gang leader, one Chinedu Ajogu a.k.a Sampolo was gunned down and five others including their native doctor were arrested for interrogation and prosecution.
Items recovered from the hoodlums include an SMG rifle, a Beretta pistol, two locally made revolver pistol, one dagger, one Biafran flag, two pairs of ESN uniforms, two web belts, assorted charms and one Acura SUV snatched from a Rev Father in Awgbu on 31st May 2022.
He added that the onslaught by the Joint Security Taskforce against the activities of unknown Gunmen across the state is yielding positive fruits following information people now give from communities about the criminal elements and their hideouts.
The command promised its resolve to rout out hoodlums and confront them headlong with a view to making the state a haven for all.
