Operatives of the Edo State Police Command in collaboration with local vigilante yesterday rescued five persons allegedly kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on the Benin-Lagos bypass.
It was gathered that the suspects accosted a vehicle conveying a corpse from Lagos to Imo State around Ute River on the Benin-Lagos bypass, on Friday and kidnapped three occupants of the vehicle.
It was learnt that the police and the vigilante mobilised for immediate combing of the bushes and in the process, rescued the victims and arrested two of the suspects.
The command spokesperson, Bello Kongtons, when contacted confirmed the incident.
“The suspects on sighting the police and vigilante engaged them in a gun duel but due to the superior fire power of the police, the suspected kidnappers abandoned the victims and escaped,” he said.
“But two of them, Mohammed Ishaku, 25, and Mubarak Wada, 26, were arrested while others escaped with bullet wounds.
He said the three victims and two others earlier kidnapped were rescued and taken to the hospital for medical attention, while the police recovered three locally made guns, two live cartridges, two cutlasses and some charms from the suspects.
