The Imo police command have killed a dismissed sergeant, Martins Nwoke, who engaged them in a gun battle over serial kidnapping in the State. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Imo State Police Command killed the dismissed sergeant in gun battle on Saturday, at Hospital Junction, Port Harcourt Road, Owerri.  The dismissed cop had gone to the area to sell a vehicle they snatched from one of their kidnapped victims.

A police source said, “At Hospital Junction, Port Harcourt Road, Owerri, SARS operatives, led by their commander, Godfrey Victor, while on a tip-off, engaged two kidnappers and armed robbers in a gun duel.The two suspects fell to the superior firepower of the police. An ash coloured Toyota Camry with number plate, LSD 857 FR, suspected to have been robbed from a kidnap victim, was recovered. Also recovered were one locally-made pistol, two expended and one live cartridge, and charms of various types. It is important to note that these two deceased suspects had been on our wanted list in cases of kidnapping and armed robberies. The dead suspects came into Imo State trying to sell the car at a give-away price. Our men closed in on them and immediately they saw us, they opened fire on us; but we overpowered them.”

It was further learnt that the dismissed sergeant just came out from prison having been sentenced for armed robbery. “He was still living in police barracks when he was killed,” a source told our correspondent. Punch reported that the The state Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, who confirmed the development to our correspondent, said the state Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo, had ordered that every member of the gang be apprehended.