Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have neutralised a suspected kidnapper and rescued his victim in the Egor area of the state. Confirming the development yesterday, spokesperson for the command, SP Moses Yamu, said that the suspect allegedly ambushed his victim, Iyobo Ighodaro, who was in his silver-coloured Mercedes Benz C350 car with registration number Abuja, KWL 195 KC, at gunpoint, and abducted him.

Yamu said one Valentine Igbinevbo of 19th Ugbowo Street reported the matter at Ugbowo Police Station on September 15. He said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP John Emmanuel, swiftly mobilised and led a surveillance team to track the suspects to their hideout in Egor, on the outskirts of Benin.

At the hideout, he said the suspects were negotiating for ransom using the victim’s phone.

“On sighting the police, a gun battle ensued, and one male suspect, whose identity is yet unknown, sustained fatal gunshot injuries and was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

“The second is believed to have narrowly escaped with gunshot injuries.

“The operatives recovered the said vehicle, one cut-to-size gun, one live cartridge, a cutlass and three phones.

“The victim was rescued unhurt, received medical attention and reunited with his loved ones while the remains of the suspect were deposited at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH),” he said.

The police spokesperson quoted the Commissioner of Police in the state, NemoEdwin- Iwo, as commending the DPO and his operatives for combating crime. The commissioner, however, warned all criminal elements in the state that their days were numbered if they continued in crime.