A suspected kidnapper was shot dead during a gun duel between some kidnappers and policemen in Ogun State.
Men of the state police command shot dead the suspect in Mologede area in the Odeda Local Government Area of the state.
The state police spokesperson, DSP, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this on Saturday.
Oyeyemi said the incident happened on Friday after policemen received a distress call. The PPRO explained that a distress call was received by the Divisional Police Officer, Bode Olude Divisional Headquarters at noon on Friday.
He said, ‘‘The police were told that a tipper driver has been kidnapped by some people suspected to be herdsmen. Upon the distress call, the DPO, Bode Olude Division, DSP Durojaye Rotimi, mobilised his men, local hunters, men of the So-Safe-Corps as well as policemen from adjoining police stations and moved to the area. While combing the bush, the kidnappers were sighted in the forest where they engaged the policemen in a gun battle.
“In the process, one of the kidnappers was shot in the leg, while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injury, while the victim was rescued unhurt. One single barrel gun was recovered from them, while the suspect gave up the ghost on the way to the hospital.”
The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, who commended his men for their display of gallantry, ordered a massive manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang.
Oyeyemi added that Ajogun also applauded the support given to the police by men of the So-Safe corps, hunters and the Oodua People’s Congress and sought for continued cooperation.
Meanwhile, a truck killed two female hawkers and injured three males on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in a lone crash at the Lotto axis, inbound Lagos, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
It was gathered that the driver of the MACK truck marked SMK 82 XY lost control of the wheels and rammed into the hawkers by the roadside. Eyewitnesses said two female hawkers were knocked dead on the spot, while three male others sustained injuries.
The spokesman for the Traffic Road Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident on Saturday, adding that the incident occurred around 4pm on Friday.
He said “The vehicle was inbound Lagos, around lotto axis when it lost control, skidded off the road and rammed into hawkers by the roadside, killing two females on the spot. The ill-fated vehicle has been taken to the Mowe Divisional Police Station, with the driver of the vehicle in their custody.”
Akinbiyi said the remains of the victims had been taken to Idera Morgue, Sagamu while the injured ones were taken to Famobis Hospital, Mowe, for treatment.