Police In Imo State Rescues Travelers From Kidnappers Along Owerri-Port Harcourt Expressway

The Imo State police operatives have rescued 15 travellers who were kidnapped along the Owerri-Port Harcourt Expressway.

The police spokesperson in Imo state identified as Orlando Ikeokwu, stated that the Imo state police operatives in Ohaji Divisional headquarters rescued the kidnapped victims in a forest where they were kept.

The Imo state Police spokesperson also stated that the kidnappers intercepted the victims who were travelling on a bus from Bayelsa State and took them to a forest thereafter.

He also stressed that the kidnappers and the police operatives exchanged gunfire before the victims were rescued by the policemen on ground.

The Police spokesman, Ikeokwu, also said that a pump action rifle was recovered from the kidnappers after they had exchanged fire.

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He said in a statement:

 “A Bayelsa bound Peace Mass Transit bus conveying fifteen passengers was intercepted along Owerri-Port Harcourt Expressway close to the boundary between Imo State and River State”

“The Police were alerted and the DPO of Ohaji Police Station promptly mobilised his operatives into Umuapu forest for the rescue operation and in the course of combing the forest the hoodlums were sighted and a fierce gun duel ensued.”  

“After which all the fifteen travellers abducted were rescued unhurt. It is suspected that some of the hoodlums escaped with bullet wounds as the ground was littered with blood stains.”  

“A pump action gun loaded with six cartridges which was hit and ripped open by Police bullet was recovered. The victims were debriefed and released to be reunited with the relatives.”

Meanwhile, the police spokesperson also made it clear that patrols had been intensified along the expressway to make sure that incidences of the kidnapping of travellers did not reoccur ever again