Fides Media Living the Faith
By Jude Atupulazi
Luck ran out of two kidnap suspects who were gunned down in a shootout with a joint team of police and vigilante last Monday along Umusiome, Nkpor, Idemili North LGA of Anambra State. A release by the State Police Image Maker, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that the kidnappers were encountered during a routine police patrol in the said axis around 8.45pm.
The statement read, ‘Following so much credible information to the Police Command from the residents of Anambra, there are so many joint operations ongoing with the security forces, especially the vigilantes, aimed at sustaining and enhancing safety in the state.
‘These joint operations yielded a major positive development on 7/5/2023 by 8:45 pm, when the operatives, while on routine patrol along Umusiome, Nkpor, Idemili North LGA, intercepted a gang of four (kidnap suspects) operating in an unregistered black Lexus SUV.’
Ikenga in the release said among items recovered from the hoodlums were two locally made explosives; one Ak47 rifle; nine live 7.62 ammunition; four Ak47 magazines; charms and other incriminating items.
‘The operatives, during the gun duel with the criminals, demobilized two of the gang members, while two others escaped. Efforts are already emplaced to arrest other fleeing gang members,’ Ikenga added.
He also said that earlier on the same day, by 4 pm, the operatives, at Azu Ogbunike, Oyi LGA, arrested another gang of armed robbers/vandals in the act of vandalizing a truck suspected to have been stolen. He gave the names of the suspects as Nwusulor Fidelis, aged 51years; Iloegunam Amobi, aged 44years; Solomon Akpagu, aged 51 years and Chidiebere Innocent, aged 28 years.
‘They all confessed to the crime and they are currently helping the police with information on other syndicate members that dispossess innocent drivers of their trucks before bringing them to their criminal hideout at Azu Ogbunike,’ Ikenga further stated, disclosing that further details would be made known.