Suspected kidnapper shot dead by police in Ogun

LUCK ran against a suspected member of a kidnap gang said to be terrorizing Ilaro town and its environs in Ogun State, in the early hours of Friday as he was shot dead by men of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in the state police command.

Saturday Tribune learnt that the gang had earlier kidnapped one Sanni Dan Nasarawa and took him to a thick forest where they tied him for seven days, while awaiting ransom payment from his family.

Fate however smiled on the kidnap victim when he was able to untie himself while his abductors were fast asleep and he was said to have escaped, after which he went to the FSARS office in Abeokuta to lodge a report.

According to the police image-maker in the state police command, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the commander of FSARS in the state, DSP Uba Adam, mobilised his men and went with the victim to the forest.

“The team combed the forest from 6:00 p.m on Thursday till about 4:00a.m on Friday before they came across the gang who engaged them in a serious gun battle for almost an hour.

“At the end of the encounter, one of the suspects was gunned down while others numbering about seven escaped with various degrees of gunshot injuries,” the PPRO said in a statement, adding that a AK-47 rifle loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition was recovered from the gang.

The state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who expressed happiness at the success achieved by his officers and men during the operation, appealed to members of the public, particularly hospitals and traditional healing homes, to report anybody they see with gunshot injury in their vicinity.

Iliyasu also assured residents of Ogun State of prompt police response to any crime reported, saying they should sustain the trust and confidence they had in the police.