By Deborah Nnamdi
Two suspected kidnappers were killed during a gun battle with operatives of the Ondo State Police Command at Ilu-Abo along the Akure-Owo Expressway in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.
The police said the operation was carried out in the early hours of Wednesday following a distress call reporting the activities of suspected kidnappers at Olaiya Block Industry, located beside Ilu-Abo High School.
In a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, the police said about seven masked gunmen stormed the block industry at about 3:30 a.m. and demanded to see the owner of the business.
According to the statement, a patrol team from the Federal Highway Patrol Unit, Ilu-Abo, responded promptly to the report and engaged the suspects in a fierce exchange of gunfire.
The police said two of the suspected kidnappers were killed during the operation, while the remaining members of the gang escaped into the surrounding bush with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
Items recovered from the scene included a locally fabricated pistol, live cartridges, four mobile phones, several face masks and two ATM cards believed to belong to the suspects or their victims.
The command said the bodies of the deceased suspects had been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, while the case had been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, has directed a manhunt for the fleeing suspects and appealed to healthcare providers and members of the public to report anyone seeking treatment for gunshot wounds or exhibiting suspicious movements.
The police said the operation reflects the command’s commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes through intelligence-driven policing and strengthened security operations.
