Police kill three suspected kidnappers

Three suspected notorious kidnappers believed to be among suspects who have been terrorizing Bali and Suntai axis of Taraba State have been killed by the operatives of the state police command.

In a statement yesterday by the command, made available to newsmen in Jalingo, the state capital, the police claimed to have engaged a Kidnap syndicate who have been terrorizing Bali and Suntai axis for sometime.

The bandits, according to the statement by Taraba police boss, David Akinremi were seriously wounded when the operatives engaged them in a gun battle while attempting to kidnap some residents of a house in Garwa village “having held the entire family hostage.”

According to Akinremi, “prompt response by the gallant operatives with the assistance of the men of the State Vigilante Group resulted in a shoot out which led to the death of three of the hoodlums and a member of the Vigilante Group injured from the gun shots by the hoodlums.”

Items recovered from the hoodlums were one locally fabricated AK47 rifle, twelve rounds of .9mm ammunition, two GSM handset, a military camouflage, some criminal charms and knives amongst others.

Other members of the criminal gangs according to him escaped with bullet wounds while massive manhunt is ongoing to effect their arrest.

He warned criminal elements operating in the state to have a rethink and turn away from crimes as the Command was determined to make the state an unfriendly terrain for criminal activities.

The commissioner also solicited for the support of the members of the public on the need to always give useful information on criminal elements in their communities to security agencies.