Two suspected kidnappers have been killed during a crossfire with police operatives in Rivers state.
Nigeriacrime.com also learned that the Rivers State Police Command has arrested eight policemen for alleged extortion and assault on a woman in the state.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Nwonyi Emeka, said four of the police officers involved in the act had extorted money from three youths, while four others assaulted a woman.
Emeka said the four policemen allegedly extorted the sum of N6,500,000.00 from the three young men after tagging them internet fraudsters.
The Police Commissioner spoke in Port Harcourt yesterday while parading some arrested criminal suspects and reeling out the command’s achievements within last week.
Emeka noted that the criminals were killed around Rumuodogo community in Emohual Local Government Area of the state, adding that the kidnappers had opened fire on sighting his men.
He said: “In a follow-up to the death of a cultists/kidnappers, police operatives of the command on August 30, 2023, arrested Godspower Salete at Rumuodogo at about 2:24 PM.
Also, Temple Emmanuel Woke of Rumuodogo-1 in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State was arrested in connection to the case.
“The two suspects led a team of Policemen to Rumuodogo Forest for the recovery of their arms.
During the process, their gang members engaged the police in a gun battle, and in the process, the two suspects were fatally wounded while others escaped with bullet wounds.
“One AK49 rifle with breach no. Ek3911 and six magazines with twenty rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered. The corpses have been deposited at De-light Mortuary, Ogbakiri, for autopsy, while intensive efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and recover more of their operational weapons.
Emeka further disclosed that the command arrested four other police officers serving in the state for assaulting a woman, adding the cops are already undergoing interrogation for their action.
He said: “Based on a complaint of unprofessional conduct and incivility against some officers from members of the public on social media, where a woman was allegedly assaulted by policemen on stop and search at Akania Junction, Ada George Road, the Commander of CP Monitoring Unit swung into action and identified the officers as men of Anti-cultism led by Inspr Abba Emmanuel and three others namely; Inspr Agbane Peter, Inspr. Ozenenwa Amadi, and Sgt. Akwugiobe Bartholomew.
“They have been arrested and are in custody undergoing interrogation. The command appeals for the lady that was assaulted to come to the command to give her side of the incident for proper investigation to be carried out.”