Police operatives were exchanged in a gun battle with kidnappers on Thursday as they rescued Segun Akinyemi, an Abuja resident who had been kidnapped while driving out of his home.
According to ASP Mansir Hassan, the Kaduna Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, the kidnappers were transporting Akinyemi from Abuja to Kano State when they were apprehended by police.
He stated that on January 18, 2024, operatives attached to Kawo Divisional Headquarters in Kaduna got a distress call reporting a kidnapping event in Abuja.
He stated that they were notified that the perpetrators and their victim were traveling through Kaduna.
Hassan said, “The Operatives, at about 0010 hours, blocked a grey Toyota Hilux van with registration number Abuja RBC 90 DC, carrying four passengers, the driver included, suspected to be the vehicle conveying the kidnappers and their victim.
“On sensing danger and in an effort to escape, one of the kidnappers fired at the policemen, and they responded accordingly.
“In the resulting gun duel, the victim, a certain Segun Akinyemi of block 10, flat 2 FCDA quarters, Area 3 Garki, Abuja, was rescued, and one of the kidnappers, a 28-year-old Chinaza Philip of Life Camp Abuja, was arrested.”
The three other suspects who escaped were pursued, according to the police spokesman, and the kidnappers were found to have the victim’s vehicle, two Retay G17 model handguns, one Beretta pistol, ten 9mm P.A.K. ammunitions, and five 9mm special ammunitions.
