Imo police exchange fire with kidnappers

There was confusion in Imo State Friday, when the police exchanged fire with some suspected kidnappers who attempted to abduct a traditinal ruler of Ulakwo Ebube community in the state, HRH Onukaogu Uchenna and his driver.

The incident occurred along the Owerri- Aba road, at about 10.15 pm when the kidnappers who were said to be trailing, Eze Uchenna as he was returning from a neigbhouring community ran into policemen on their trail.

Police sources said that there was pandamonium as some travellers who heard the heavy gun shots from both the police and the suspected kidnappers abandoned their vehicles and ran into the bush.

Briefing newsmen on the issue, the Assitant Commissiner of Police, ACP, in charge of Operations in the state, Celestine Uzuakpundu Okoye, said that detectives foiled the kidnap bid following a tip off.

According to Okoye, ‘’the incident happened at Agbala, on the Owerri – Aba road at 10.15pm, when the monarch was returning home with his driver,’’ thus causing traffic congestion on the road.

He however, said that five suspects have been arrested following their attempt to kidnap the royal father, from a community in Owerri North Local Government of the state.

‘’We quietly trailed them, following a tip- off but when they sighted the security vehicle, the hoodlums instantly opened fire to scare them away but the police returned fire for fire.

‘’The confusion that erupted caused heavy traffic hold up along the Owerri-Aba road,’’ Okoye said, while motorists and other commuters and residents fled for safety .

Vanguard gathered that the exchange of fire between the police and the hoodlums led to the killing of one of the hoodlums by the police.

Okoye however, disclosed that both the traditional ruler and his driver were unhurt during the gun battle followin which four of the criminals abandoned their dead colleague and fled, adding that weapons recovered by his men from the suspected kidnappers include an AK 47 rifle, another AK 49 (military gun) riffle, six magazines fully loaded with ammunitions among other danagerous items.