Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
Police in Ogun State have killed two suspected kidnappers in a gun battle while attempting to rescue three Indian nationals in a forest located along the Benin-Sagamu Expressway corridor of the state.
The suspects numbering six were said to have abducted the nationals inside a bus without escort as they were returning back to their residence at Kajola Junction.
On hearing the incident, the manager of Breeze Company Nigeria Limited – where the nationals work, made a distress call to the DPO of Mowe Divisional headquarters that a gang of kidnappers attacked and opened gunfire on the two buses conveying his principals and abducted three out of the sixteen of them.
The three abducted Indian nationals – Tejaram Chauhan, Kaduwal Pradhan, and Medani Kathiwada were all inside the second Toyota Hiace bus with registration number: SMK 986, with no police escort and were all whisked away to an unknown destination.
Upon the information the Anti-Kidnapping joined forces with other policemen as well as local security outfit and embarked on a rescue mission where they engaged the kidnappers in a shoot out at a forest along Benin-Sagamu Papalanto killing two of the six gangs as the rest fled for their lives.
Exhibits recovered include two AK 47 rifles, one single barrel locally made gun, one sword, cell phone and criminal charms and 65 rounds of ammunition.
The sum of seven million, nine hundred thousand naira (#7.900.000), as well as one thousand five hundred Rupees of (Indian currency) were also recovered.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Omolola Odutola confirmed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Tuesday.
She said, “On the 4th of May 2024, the manager of Breeze Company Nigeria limited located at Ibadan-Lagos expressway made a distress call to the DPO of Mowe Divisional headquarters that on the 3rd of May 2024, while his principals numbering about sixteen were returning to their residence, at Kajola junction, a gang of kidnappers opened gunfire into the two Toyota haice buses with registration numbers FST 686 YH Ash colour and SMK 986 YE black colour that was conveying them.
“In response, the PMF escort attached to the first bus with Reg. No FST 686 YH exchanged fire with the kidnappers and managed to escape with all the occupants in the first vehicle, while three Indian Nationals, namely, Tejaram Chauhan ‘m’, Kaduwal Pradhan ‘m’ and Medani Kathiwada ‘m’, all inside the second bus without police escort were all kidnapped to an unknown destination.
“The Anti-kidnapping Section of the Command in concert with Police formations in the axis with other local security agents swung into action by combing the area, policemen engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun battle confronting the kidnappers in the forest along Benin-Sagamu Papalanto at about 1630hrs of 7th May 2024, and succeeded in the rescue of the victims unhurt.
“In the course of the encounter, two of the six kidnappers were demobilized, two AK 47 riffles, one single barrel locally made gun, one sword, cell phone and criminal charms and 65 round of ammunition were also recovered. The likely ransom loot of the two demobilized kidnappers of the sum of Seven million nine hundred thousand naira (#7.900.000) and one thousand five hundred Rupees of (Indian currency) were also recovered.
“The two demobilized suspect have been deposited at the public mortuary, while intensive efforts are ongoing to arrest the four fleeing members of the kidnap gang. Thank you all for coming.”