At least two persons have been feared dead and six others rescued during a faceoff between kidnappers and security operatives of the the Plateau State Police Command on Thursday.
News About Nigeria reports that the security operatives in the State engaged the suspected kidnappers in a gun battle which led to the death of two residents in the kidnappers’ den.
According to report, the kidnappers had earlier raided a neighbouring village, Gwalada, in the Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State and made off with some of the residents.
The security operatives, when alerted, traced the hoodlums to their hideout within the community border and in the cross-fire between the kidnappers and security operatives, one of the suspected kidnappers and a member of the vigilante group were killed while six of the kidnapped residents were rescued by the police.
Speaking on the situation, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, confirmed the incident in a statement in Jos on Thursday.
He noted that the Plateau State Police Command in its relentless efforts to get rid of criminal elements in the state, tracked the gang of notorious kidnappers to their den, dislodged them, rescued six (6) kidnapped victims and gunned down one kidnapper.
He maintained that the Force acted on an intelligence report obtained about the despicable kidnap incident, stating that the kidnapped victims were taken to a rocky forest in between Tumu, Tsaya and Rumfar Gomna in Bassa Local Government Area of the State.
Alfred applauded the efforts of the Divisional Police Officer of Jengre, who led a combined team of battle-ready police operatives, STF, and Security Help Groups to invade the kidnappers’ camp.
He disclosed that the kidnappers had engaged them in an intense gun battle upon sighting the security operatives.
The victims rescued were; Rashida Hamisu, Mummi Usman, Ibrahim Isa, Ya’u Yahaya, Bala Aminu and Alhaji Ishaku Usman, all natives of Gwalfada, Toro Local Government Area, of Bauchi states.
While the victims were rescued, one of the kidnappers was gunned down and his accomplices escaped with various degrees of bullet wounds.
He added sadly that one Nuhu Titus, a hunter who aided the security in the rescue operation, lost his life.”
According to him, efforts were being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects and rescue other kidnap victims.
Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Okoro J. Alawari, also assured the residents of the commitment of the police to combat crime and criminality in the state.
Alawari, while promising to do all within his powers to ensure that the 17 Local Government Areas continue to remain safe for all citizens of the state, also warned kidnappers to “repent from their atrocious activities or leave Plateau State before the police apprehend them”.
