Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command on Tuesday announced that its operatives gunned down a notorious wanted kidnapper, Umar Bappa, aka Maishede Blakie, and rescued seven kidnapped victims in his custody during an exchange of gunfire at the Pegi area of Abuja.
But the Police said members of the kidnapping gang fled into the bush during the gun duel.
The Police also said it has commenced investigations into the reported abduction of a doctor and five others in Chikuku village, Kuje area of the FCT.
Spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said in a statement titled, ‘FCT police commences special operation to tackle kidnapping, other violent crimes,’ that one AK47 rifle, locally made firearms, ammunition, 15 AK-47 magazines, suspected fake military camouflage, charms, drugs, six mobile phones and N47,000 cash were recovered from the hoodlums.
It explained that the victims, who were rescued unhurt were subsequently taken to the hospital for medical attention after which they were reunited with their families.
“Efforts are being intensified to arrest other members of the gang,” Adeh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said.
According to the Police Spokesperson: “Following efforts by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command to ensure no hiding place for criminal elements in the FCT and improve public safety and security, the Commissioner of Police, Babaji Sunday has launched a special intelligence-led operation to tackle kidnapping and other violent crimes.
“The CP noted that these efforts have begun to yield positive results as seven kidnapped victims were rescued along the Pegi axis of the FCT. In the recent breakthrough, the CP stated that the command, acting on intelligence which revealed the activities and hideout of some criminal elements suspected to be kidnappers, drafted personnel of the Command’s Anti-kidnapping unit in a joint operation with the DSS and police operatives from Pegi division to storm the hideout of the suspected kidnappers.”