The Rivers State Police Command has stated its operative killed a total of seven suspected kidnappers and three suspected armed robbers in parts of the state in the last three weeks.
The commissioner of Police, Mr. Musa Kimo, who announced this while parading some suspects before newsmen at the Police headquarters in Port Harcourt today, stated a total of 30 suspected armed robbers and another 12 suspected kidnappers were arrested in parts of the state within the period.
Kimo, who was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ahmad Muhammad, stated that a total of 21 suspected members of cult groups were also arrested within the period, while operatives of the command rescued 11 persons that were kidnapped by hoodlums.
As stated by him, “On 01/11/2014 at about 5:30 am, policemen on routine patrol along Ada George Road, Port Harcourt, sighted a suspicious black Honda Civic car with registration No. AHD 145 RX with three young male occupants and on approaching the vehicle, the occupants opened fire on the policemen.
“Three of them got fatally wounded after a gun duel with the policemen while the one AK 47 rifle, two magazines, 50 rounds of 7.62 live ammunition, a complete set of police uniform and a bullet proof vest were recovered.
“On 10/11/2015, at about 9:00 pm at Arizona, off Peter Odili Road, Port Harcourt, a team of policemen, acting on a distress call that one Mr. Emmanuel Akujiobi was kidnapped by armed men operating in a Volkswagen Golf 3 saloon car. The team chased the suspected kidnappers thereby forcing them to abandon their victim, their operational vehicles and the victim’s Lexus Jeep with registration No. ABJ 724 BC. One of suspected kidnappers also got fatally wounded during shoot out with the police”.
The police boss stated that the arrest of some youths in Amunugboko community in Ahoada-West local government area of the state, who confessed to belong to Iceland Cult group and Deywell Cult group, have brought peace to their respective communities.
” The arrest of these young men have brought peace to their respective communities. The arrest of King Maaloo, aged 21; Emaka Nduah, aged 29; Kenneth Ekpeye, aged 39; Patrick Ogbonnaya, aged 27 and Frank Onuoha, aged 22, at different locations for belonging to respective cult groups, has added an impetus to our fight against cultism,” he stated.