Benin City – Operatives of Edo State Police Command yesterday rescued a kidnap victim, killing one of the suspected kidnappers in the rescue operation.
The Commissioner of Police, Edo State CP Johnson Kokumo disclosed this in Benin City today while displaying bullet-ridden corpse of a young man said to be one of the kidnappers.
CP Kokumo stated that a four-man gang of kidnappers waylaid and abducted the victim by the gate of his residence at Ugbor area of Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin City at about 8pm on Wednesday.
He said the police on receiving a distress call swang into action as discreet trailing of the gunmen throughout the night resulted in the killing of one of the kidnappers and rescue of their victim unhurt while others fled.
CP Kokumo reiterated the police command resolve to make Edo state a hotbed for criminals and their allies.
He however called on members of the public to always provide information to the police as such information would be treated with almost confidentiality.
Narrating his ordeal, the rescued kidnap victim who identified himself simply as Odion, diesel mercant, expressed gratitude to the police for their swift response to ensure he regained his freedom.
Odion said he was kept in his car and driven to unknown destination where they remained inside his vehicle while his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card forcefully taken away from him was used to withdraw yet-to-be known amount of cash from his bank account.
He maintained that as his abductors were busy tormenting him for more money, the police swopped on them, gunned down one of the kidnappers and rescued him unhurt.
The rescue operation, according to police sources took place at Uwamose Street, off Sapele Road, Benin City.
Items paraded along with the corpse of the suspect included one cut-to-size gun and a Honda car said to belong to the kidnap victim.
