A suspected kidnapper on Thursday lost his life during a gun duel with policemen in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
During the shootout, the policemen also rescued two abducted victims abandoned by the kidnappers at their hideouts in the area.
City Round gathered that the deceased kidnapper and his gang members, during an operation on March 26, abducted some persons in the community.
Following the operation, the suspects reportedly contacted the victims’ families and demanded N20m ransom to release the abductees.
While negotiating with the suspects, it was learnt that the victims’ families informed the Lagos State Police Command and policemen were detailed to investigate the case and rescue the victims.
However, on the agreed day for the ransom payment, the kidnappers, upon seeing that policemen accompanied the families of the abducted victims to the agreed location, opened fire.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, while reacting to the incident, said the policemen fired back at the hoodlums, adding that during the exchange of gunfire, the policemen shot one of the suspects dead and rescued two victims.
Hundeyin said, “Yes, I can confirm the case. Two victims were rescued and one of the suspects was killed during a gun duel with the police.
“What happened was that the kidnappers abducted the victims since March 26 and demanded N20m ransom for their release and the victims’ families negotiated to N3m.
“So, the victims’ families informed the police and we commenced investigation immediately.
“On the agreed day on April 4, the kidnappers laid an ambush as they saw the police and the police countered the ambush and killed one of them, while the rest ran away. We rescued the two victims thereafter.”