(Lokoja)
The joint security forces of the kogi state government, including members of the vigilante group, have repelled kidnappers’ onslaught against innocent members of the society, killing two of them in a reinforced fight against the criminals in the state.
Two of the kidnappers were said to have met their Waterloo on Monday on Lokoja-Abuja Highway at about 4.a.m when about 15 of them,armed with Ak-47 rifles, engaged the security outfit in an exchange of gun fire.
The repelled kidnappers were said to have been caught up in the act when they ambushed commutters on the highway while the remaining ones escaped with various degrees of bullet wounds.
Commenting on the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Kogi Local Government Area, Isah Abdulkarim said the kidnappers, numbering about 15 and armed with AK-47 riffles, ambushed commutters at about 0320hrs on Monday on Lokoja-Abuja Highway.
He said: “On 13th July 2020, about 0320 hours at Idu Bridge, on Lokoja-Abuja express way, Kogi LGA, unidentified bandits numbering about 15, armed with AK-47 rifles, ambushed commutters and fired sporadically at a Sienna bus with registration number BKN46XA.
“Their bullet hit the upper arm of the driver of the bus and two other passengers, Blessing ONU (35) and Eze IKECHUKWU ( 40) conveying vegetables from Akure to Abuja. They were rescued by our team.
“The team went after the kidnappers which led to the death of two of the daredevil criminals during gun exchange while some of them escaped with bullet wounds.”
Another kidnapping attempt was also repelled along Okene-Lokoja road by the proactive efforts of the Vigilante service.
Governor Yahaya Bello has restated his commitment to ensuring a safe and peaceful environment in the state, promising to intensify efforts to root out all forms of crime and criminality in the state.
The month of June had been particularly challenging for the state as kidnappers turned Okene-Lokoja and Lokoja-Abuja express way to their den, tormenting travellers and in extreme cases, killing their victims.
The proprietor of the popular Chuks Shopping Mall, Mr Nicholas Ofodile lost his when kidnappers struck on Lokoja-Abuja Highway while the military lost three of their senior officers to kidnappers on Lokoja-Abuja highway
The kidnappers led many other victims into the bush, demanding millions of naira as ransom before setting them free.
On July 1, 1874 two little boys were abducted in front of their family’s mansion. It was the first kidnapping for ransom in the history of the United States, and would be the major event of its kind until the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. The boys were named Charley and Walter Ross; they were 4 and 6 years old.
