No fewer than six suspected kidnappers were shot dead during a shootout with operatives of the police at Obelle community, in the Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
Men of the anti-cultism unit were said to have stormed their hideout but the gang members, led by one Uchechukwu Daniel, opened fire on them.
The policemen were said to have returned the fire, killing six of the suspects and arresting six others.
Confirming this, the state Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, said aside from those gunned down, some of the miscreants escaped with bullet wounds.
In another case, the CP said operatives on patrol along the King Perekule Junction, GRA, Port Harcourt, intercepted and rescued some kidnap victims.
Nwonyi said, “On Friday, June 30, around 1000hrs, while on metro patrol along King Perekule Street, GRA, following a tip-off, operatives intercepted and rescued victims of a kidnap case reported to the command.
“The victims narrated that one of their friends was kidnapped and taken away by hoodlums, who were operating in a carton colour Lexus RX 350 after shooting at their vehicle’s tyre.
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“Pieces of 7.2 empty shell and a Techno phone belonging to the victim were also recovered.”
Speaking further, the CP revealed that men of the command trailed some suspected kidnappers to their hideout at Ozuoha, in Ikwerre LGA, following credible information.
The police boss added that a victim was rescued unhurt, while one of the suspects, Buchi David, 20, was arrested.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Khana LGA, Dr Thomas Bari-Ere, while briefing newsmen, narrated how men of the Bori division while acting on a tip-off, stormed a suspected kidnappers’ camp and recovered a human skull, a pump-action rifle and two AK-47 rifles.
He said, “We received intelligence that one of the suspects in police custody by the name of Ojukwu has a place where he stores his arms as well as human skulls.
“He uses them to administer oaths to his victims for them to keep his identity secret.
“So, we alerted security operatives; the Bori Police Division, alongside the anti-cultism unit, acted swiftly. The operation was successful. Two AK-47 rifles, a human skull and a pump action were recovered.”