Three kidnappers killed as police rescue lawyer and his niece in Akwa Ibom (video)

Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have killed three suspected kidnappers during exchange of gunfire in a criminal hideout, and rescued a lawyer, Emmanuel Ubengama and his niece.

Ubengama, a director at the Ministry of Justice, Abak local government area outstation, and his niece were abducted last Wednesday evening, December 4.

It was gathered that the hoodlums had laid ambush for the duo along the Abak – Ikot Abasi road, where they swooped on them on their way back to Abak LGA, after seeing the children in school.

According to reports, the matter was immediately reported to the police at Abak Division, a move that spurred a quick response from the Commissioner of Police (CP), Joseph Eribo, who drafted some tactical operatives to comb the area on Friday. 

However, the rescue efforts of the tactical team led the operatives to Ikot Ukpong village, the den of the kidnappers in Afahaobong area of Abak LGA, where the gun duel ensued, leading to the three suspects being neutralised while others fled.

When the dust cleared after the shootout, operatives were said to have stormed the hideout where the victims were discovered tied down inside a purpose – built soakaway facility and promptly rescued them.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Timfon John, said efforts were on to track down and arrest others on the run to face prosecution as the CP, Eribo, has zero tolerance for crimes, especially as the yuletide season approaches

The PPRO warned criminal elements that nowhere in Akwa Ibom and appealed to members of the civil society to collaborate by working in synergy with security agencies in the area of intelligence sharing to stem crimes in their domains.