Some policemen serving with the Rivers State Police command have rescued one Mr Madabuchi Julius, who was kidnapped by a four-member kidnap gang at Sabbath Filling Station, in Oyigbo Local Government Area.
The spokesperson of the Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-koko, ASP, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday, the gang members had succeeded in kidnapping the victim but abandoned him when the policemen pursued and engaged them in a shootout.
She also said that the gang carried out the operation in a Black colour Toyota Corolla and had shot sporadically to instil fear in the victim and those within the area before they abducted him.
Iringe-Koko said:” At about 8 pm on Sunday, November 17, 2014, “operatives of the command received a distress call from the Command’s Control Room indicating that a gang of armed men numbering about four operating in a black colour Toyota Corolla car shot sporadically and kidnapped one Madabuchi Julius ‘m’ at Sabbath Filling Station, Oyigbo.
“Operatives were swiftly mobilized to the scene and the hoodlums on sighting the Police operatives drove off, but they were given a hot chase by the operatives and subsequently intercepted along Egbu Street, Oyigbo and a gun duel ensued between the Police operatives and the hoodlums.”
“The hoodlums could not withstand the Police’s superior firepower and eventually abandoned the victim and their operational vehicle with registration number RIVERS PHC 938 AH and escaped. The victim was rescued unhurt and the vehicle recovered.”
She added that the police had commenced an investigation to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover their operational weapons.
In a related development, she disclosed that the police have also arrested a suspect, who is part of a syndicate that had been terrorizing Oyigbo, noting that a pistol was recovered from the suspect, a 25-year-old male.
She said: “On the 18th of November, 2024 at about 2248hrs, operatives of the command acted on a credible piece of information, coordinated a covert operation at St Lorinta Street, Oyigbo, arrested one Gabriel Morris, aged 25yrs, ‘m’ of Mercy Ground, Kom-Kom, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a syndicate that has been terrorizing Oyigbo and its environs in recent times.
“Items recovered from the suspect include one locally made Pistol, a quantity of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp. The investigation is ongoing, while concerted efforts are intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.”
