Police rescue 33 kidnapped footballers, others in Edo

 Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have rescued 33 kidnapped victims, including a three-year-old, while five others are still missing.

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It was gathered that the victims were travelling from Agbor to Benin when they were kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.

 The command’s spokesperson, Chidi Nwanbuzor, said the police received information that hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers emerged from the bush along the Agbor-Uronigbe-Obiaruku Road and kidnapped occupants of a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Agbor to Warri and whisked them into the bush.

 He said the occupants of the vehicle were members of the Itugbe Kings Football Club, Warri in Delta State.

 “The police in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes and tactical team from Delta State Police command at the state boundary mobilised and embarked on bush combing resulting in the rescue of 32 of the victims unhurt on August 13.”

 He said during profiling of the victims, it was discovered that five others were still with the kidnappers, adding that intense bush combing was ongoing to rescue them.

 Nwanbuzor disclosed that gunmen in another incident attacked two occupants of a Toyota Corolla car travelling from Bayelsa to Agbor.

 He said though they escaped, one of the occupants, Ibegu Daguapu, who was shot in his right shoulder, was receiving treatment at a medical facility.