6-man kidnapping gang gunned down by police in Anambra

The operations of a gang of kidnappers in
Anambra State have been smashed by men of
the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS)
The six-man gang had its reign of terror
ended by the police officers in the Azia
environs of the Ihiala Local Government Area
of the state.

Operatives of SARS intercepted the
kidnappers as they were transporting a
recently kidnapped victim, one Sunday Okoye,
to their hideout and engaged them in a
shootout.

The Sun reports:

In the process, the alleged kidnappers were
gunned down, while their victim, who was in
the trunk of a car, was rescued by
operatives of SARS with minor bullet injuries.

The SARS operatives, led by its commander in
the state, James Nwafor, a chief
superintendent of police (CSP), engaged the
kidnappers in a fierce gun duel when they
made attempt to whisk their victim to Asaba,
Delta State.

The kidnap suspects, led by a notorious gang
leader, popularly known as Nonso Mgbe, were
alleged to be the killers of the Officer
Commanding SARS at the Central Police
Station, Mr. Emma Ochuobi, in May 2013 in
the commercial city of Onitsha and since
then had been on the run.

Items recovered from the suspects were three
AK47 rifles, 36 magazines, 413 rounds of
ammunition and a box of charms with various
sizes.

Speaking to newsmen at the SARS headquarters
in Awkuzu, Anambra State Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), Emeka Chukwuemeka
said the battle would continue till
December, adding that the operation was a
mop-up action initiated by the command to
get rid of criminals in Anambra State.

Yesterday, between 8 and 9pm, a gang of six
persons kidnapped one Sunday Innocent Okoye
in his Honda Acura Legend car in Awka and
took him away. When the information got to
the police command, our men were deployed to
cordon off all major roads within and
outside Awka, and the manhunt began.

At about 2.20am, Sunday morning, we saw the
gang when they were making effort to move to
one of the neighbouring states and on citing
police vehicles, they open fire and the
police retaliated and gunned four of them
down.

The other two, who sustained injuries later
died and this is a warning to such hoodlums
in Anambra that the place is no longer safe
for them especially from now till the
Yuletide period.

We will continue this operation till
December and we want to make sure that our
brothers and sisters who will be home for
Christmas will be at peace and enjoy their
stay. Anambra is no longer a hide out for
criminals," Chukwuemeka said.

The Chairman of Campaign for Democracy (CD),
Dede Uzor Uzor yesterday commended the
Anambra State Police Command for the
wonderful job they are doing in the state
especially the SARS commander, CSP James
Nwafor.

Uzor said they still have some work to do in
making sure that three other kidnapped
victims since December 5, 2012 , Vitus
Ezekwueme (aka VTS), Ifeanyi Okoye and
Ifezue were rescued.

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