By Adekunle Mariam, Abeokuta
Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have neutralized two members of a suspected kidnapping ring who were hiding in Itori forest behind the state - owned ICT Polytechnic, Itori in Ewekoro Local Government Area of the State waiting to for an appropriate time attack unsuspecting members of the public.
The Daily Crucible learnt that some people sighted the suspects in the forest and alerted the Ewekoro Police Division that some armed hoodlums with face mask were hibernating in a bush behind the ICT poly, prompting the operatives of the division to storm the forest.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who disclosed this on Monday, said the hoodlums opened fire on policemen when they sighted the officers advancing to the forest.
Abimbola, a Deputy Superintendent of Police(DSP) said during the ensuing gun battle, two members of the syndicate were gunned down while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
He added that one locally fabricated shot gun, two live cartridges, two battle axes, empty shells of AK 47 riffle ammunition, three android phones, two small phones, 8 pairs of slippers and two school bags were recovered from them.
He said: "Two members of a suspected kidnap syndicate on Sunday 29th of August 2021, lost their lives when they engaged men of Ogun state police command in gun battle in Itori area of Ewekoro local government.
The two suspects met their Waterloo when policemen in Ewekoro divisional headquarters received an information at about 7:30 am, that some armed hoodlums with face mask were sighted hibernating in a bush at the back of ICT polytechnic Itori and coupled with the fact that many suspected kidnappers have been traced to the same forest before, the anti robbery team of Ewekoro division was quickly dispatched to fish out the hoodlums.
"On sighting the policemen, the gang opened fire on them and the policemen engaged them in gun battle which lasted for about 40 minutes. At the end of the encounter, two members of the syndicate were gunned down while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
Recovered from them are; one locally fabricated shot gun, two live cartridges, two battle axes, empty shells of AK 47 riffle ammunition, three android phones, two small phones, 8 pairs of slippers and two school bags.
•The suspects
"Meanwhile, the commissioner of police CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun who commended the gallantry display of his men, has warned criminals to stop testing the will power of the command under his watch, because doing so will continue to spell doom for them.
"The CP also directed a massive manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang. He therefore reiterated the stand of the command to roll out all in its arsenal to wage war against crime and criminality in order to make Ogun state free of violent crime."
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