Police Rescue 13 Kidnapped Victims in Kwara
Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The Kwara State Police Command yesterday disclosed that 13 victims kidnapped along Obo Aiyegunle road in Ekiti Local Government Area (LGA) of the state have been rescued.
The kidnapped victims were among those who were coming from a wedding ceremony in Egbe town in Kogi State last week when some suspected bandits intercepted their bus and kidnapped them.
The kidnapped victims were later taken to the bush and bandits demanded N100million ransom for their release.
However, the state police command and other security agencies swung into action to ensure the rescue of the kidnapped victims, which yielded results.
In a statement issued in Ilorin, the state capital, by the spokesman of the state police command, DSP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the command stated that the rescue of the kidnapped victims was successful during a joint operation involving the police and the Oke-Ero Local Government Security Initiative personnel.
“Acting on credible intelligence and with the support of local informants, the security operatives swiftly mobilised to the suspects’ hideout located in the Idofin-Igbana area.
“Upon sighting the security team, the kidnappers, six in number and some dressed to disguise in military uniforms engaged the operatives in a gun battle but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the rescue team.
“The suspects fled the scene with various degrees of injuries, abandoning their captives in the process.
“The rescued victims included three females and 10 males from various locations, including Odo-Owa in Oke-Ero LGA, Ilorin, Ogbomoso, and a group of trailer drivers en route to Kogi State.
“While two victims sustained minor gunshot injuries, all victims were immediately provided with medical care at a nearby hospital, stabilised, and subsequently reunited with their families”.
The statement urged the members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency hotlines.
