Police Kill Two Suspected Kidnappers After Gun Battle In Ondo

Police in Ondo State say two suspected kidnappers were killed after a gun battle along the Akure-Owo Expressway in the early hours of Wednesday.

The command said officers attached to the Federal Highway Patrol Unit at Ilu-Abo responded after a distress call about armed men at Olaiya Block Industry, beside Ilu-Abo High School.

According to the police account, about seven masked gunmen entered the premises around 3:30 a.m. and demanded to see the owner of the business. Officers who arrived at the scene were met with gunfire.

Two suspects were killed during the exchange, while five others escaped into nearby bushes with suspected gunshot wounds. Police said they recovered a locally fabricated pistol, live cartridges, four mobile phones, face masks and two ATM cards.

The bodies were taken to the State Specialist Hospital in Akure, and the case has been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the State Criminal Investigation Department. Police asked health workers and residents to report anyone with gunshot wounds or suspicious movements.

Sources: Daily Trust, Premium Times