Kidnapping suspect killed by police and rescue victim

POLICE operatives killed a suspected kidnapper in a gun battle while rescuing a victim from a hideout in Ugborikoko, Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State.

Mr. Bright Edafe, the State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, confirmed this and added that the operatives also recovered pump action gun cartridges during the operation.

“On 28/12/2022 at about 2215hrs, acting on a tip-off that a victim (name withheld) was kidnapped at Ugborikoko, and the kidnappers were heading toward Agbarho in the victim’s car,” Edafe said in a statement.

“The DPO Agbarho Division deployed operatives to the Warri-Ughelli express-way to carry out intensive stop and search with a view to rescuing the victim and arrest of the suspects.

“While the Police were carrying out this task painstakingly, they intercepted a Mercedez GLK SUV that matched the description of the victim’s vehicle. The suspect, Oghenetega Ovwa’m’, 25, of Ugborikoko, was arrested, and a pump action gun with six rounds of cartridges was recovered after the vehicle was searched.

“During the course of the investigation, the suspect confessed to being a member of the kidnap gang that earlier kidnapped the owner of the GLK. He led the team to their hideout in Warri South LGA, Ugborikoko.

“Upon arrival at the hideout, his gang members engaged the Police in a gun duel, during which the suspect was hit, while other members of the gang escaped.”

The victim was unharmed when he was rescued and reunited with his family.

The suspect, who suffered serious gunshot wounds during the gunfight, was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. The manhunt for the gang’s fleeing members is still ongoing.”