By USMAN ALIYU

Operatives of the Police Command in Edo have neutralised a suspected kidnapper and rescued his victim in Egor area of the state.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Moses Yamu made this known on Tuesday in Benin.

Yamu said that the suspect allegedly ambushed his victim, Iyobo Ighodaro, who was in his silver-coloured Mercedes Benz C350 car at gunpoint, and abducted him.

Yamu said one Valentine Igbinevbo reported the matter at the Ugbowo Police Station on Sept. 15.

He said the Divisional Police Officer, CSP John Emmanuel, swiftly mobilised and led a surveillance team to track the suspects to their hideout in Egor, on the outskirts on Benin.

At the hideout, he said the suspects were negotiating for ransom using the victim?s phone.

?On sighting the Police, a gun battle ensued and one male suspect, whose identity is yet unknown, sustained fatal gunshot injuries and was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

?The second is believed to have narrowly escaped with gunshot injuries.

?The operatives recovered the said vehicle, one cut to size gun, one live cartridge, a cutlass and three phones.

?The victim was rescued unhurt, received medical attention and reunited with his loved ones while the corpse of the suspect was deposited at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH),? he said.

The police spokesperson quoted the Commissioner of Police in the state, Nemi Iwo, as commending the DPO and his operatives for their effort in combating crime.

The commissioner, however, warned all criminal elements in the state that their days were numbered if they continued in crime. (NAN)

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