From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed the rescued of 13 people including three policemen who were abducted last Friday at a hotel in Elete community, Ajaokuta local government area of the state.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday at ‘A’ division of Nigeria Police in Lokoja the Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Kogi state command SP William Ovye Aya, said the 13 victims of the kidnappers gang were rescued through the efforts of the operative of quick response team of the state command on Tuesday 28/3/2023.
Aya said the command received a report of a kidnap incident that occurred at Elete community in Ajaokuta local government area of Kogi state on Friday the 24th of March, 2023.
According to the police spokesman, on getting the information, the Commissioner of Police, CP Akeem Yusuf directed the operative of Quick Response Team of the command to swing into action with a mandate to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous act.
Aya added that upon the directive, the commander of the Quick Response Team, SP Obafemi Ojo Swung into action with other members of the team and combed the entire bush in the area.
The PPRO stated that the team were able to bulldozed themselves into the den of the kidnappers located at the mountain where the victims were held hostage since last Friday, noting that as the kidnappers saw the police officers they started shooting.
“The Police Quick Response Team through their superior fire force were able to over powered the kidnappers and they fled into the bush with varied degree of bullets wound.
“The operation was successful following a reliable information about the suspected kidnappers. The 12 victims abducted from the hotel and one other Fulani man earlier kidnapped by the hoodlums were rescued unhurt” the PPRO said.
While commending the gallantry displayed by the Police Quick Response Team, he urged members of the public particularly the adjoining Elete communities to be on the lookout and report any body seen with bullets wounds to the nearest security formation and charged residents of Kogi state to always volunteer credible information to security agents to enable them tackle criminal activities in the state.
One of the kidnappers’ victims and a hunter security guard Mohammed Gimba while narrating his ordeals in the hands of the abductors, said the suspected kidnappers stormed the hotel in Elete community around 8:45 that fateful day.
He said the kidnappers numbering about 15 with their AK-47 riffle marched 13 of them out of the hotel to the bush where they kept them and started demanding for N200 million from the owner of the hotel to secure their freedom.
Gimba thank men and officer of Nigeria Police Force Kogi State Command for their quick response that led to their rescue.
