By Our Reporter
The Ondo State Police Command has neutralised two suspected kidnappers during a gun duel along the Akure–Owo Expressway, recovering a locally made firearm, live cartridges and other items believed to belong to the criminal gang.
The operation, which took place in the early hours of Wednesday at Ilu-Abo, marks another major breakthrough in the Command’s ongoing crackdown on kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the incident occurred at about 3:30 a.m. when operatives of the Federal Highway Patrol Unit, Ilu-Abo, responded to a distress call over the activities of armed men at Olaiya Block Industry, located beside Ilu-Abo High School.
Preliminary investigations revealed that about seven masked gunmen invaded the premises and demanded to see the owner of the block industry.
Acting on credible intelligence, the patrol team swiftly mobilised to the scene, where the suspects engaged the police in a fierce exchange of gunfire.
During the confrontation, two of the suspected kidnappers were fatally shot, while the remaining members of the gang escaped into the surrounding bush with suspected gunshot wounds.
Police recovered one locally fabricated pistol, live cartridges, four mobile phones, several face masks and two Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards believed to belong either to the suspects or their victims.
The bodies of the deceased suspects have been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, while the case has been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
The Command said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects, urging healthcare providers and members of the public to report anyone seeking treatment for suspicious gunshot injuries or exhibiting suspicious movements.
Commissioner of Police Felix Ohagwu reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and sustained operations aimed at eliminating kidnapping and other violent crimes in Ondo State.
The police also commended residents for their continued cooperation and appealed for timely and credible information that would assist security agencies in bringing fleeing criminals to justice.
