… AS HOODLUMS ABDUCTS THREE LAWYERS, DRIVER
A combined team of the police, soldiers and local vigilante on Wednesday killed three armed kidnappers along the busy Benin-Auchi Expressway.
The hoodlums took over the Road at Okhuo, Ehor, Uhunmwode local government Area of Edo State when the Divisional Police Officer, Ehor CSP Benefa Benjamin mobilized security operatives to engage the hoodlums to open up the road.
After a gun duel that lasted several hours, the police team overpowered the hoodlums, killed three of them with several others injured who fled into the nearby bush.
Commuters on the road were held on the road for hours while they waited for the police clearance of the busy road.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Police Command, Mr Bello kotongs who confirmed the attack in a statement said that one Marvelous Eze, a 24 year old occupant of a Lexus 350 salon car, was hit by a bullet on the left hand and was treated at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.
He said that the security operatives recovered ‘one Ak 47 rifle with 14 live ammunition, one English Pump action gun with 18 live cartridges, one UBA ATM card, two wrist watches and a cash of one thousand five hundred Naira only’ from the criminals.’
He addd that a vehicle recovered from the hoodlums had been taken to the station.
He said, “Today 02/02/2022 at about 0658hrs received from VGN Chairman Irrua that a black Toyota Venza car with Reg. NO SKL 394 TD coming from Benin to Ekpoma was fired at from the bush by suspected hoodlums the yet to be identified, the driver/occupants were suspected to have been kidnapped into the bush.
“On receipt of the information the DPO Ehor Division CSP Benefa Benjamin swiftly mobilized and led combined teams of Police Military and Local Vigilantes on bush combing. The hoodlums who sense danger of been apprehended, break into small group to bit the security while the team also mobilized coordinated ambushed at Obadan and Ebute axis of Ehor. At about 1134hrs, ASP Obaro Samuel attached to state Highway Patrol Ebute on together with the Military sighted the armed hoodlums who immediately open fire. In the ensuing gun duel, the superior fire power of the team of operatives hit three of the hoodlums whom were fatally injured and was rushed to Iruekpen General Hospital where they were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
“On searching them, the following items were recovered from the kidnappers; one Ak 47 rifle with 14 live ammunition, one English Pump action gun with 18 live cartridges, one UBA ATM card, two wrist watches and a cash of one thousand five hundred naira only (#1500). The vehicle recovered to the Police Station for safe keeping while rescue mission still on going.”
However investigation revealed that some hoodlums kidnapped three lawyers and their driver along the road today.
The three lawyers are said to be members of the Warri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association.