•AK-47 rifles, magazines, ammunition recovered
Four suspected kidnappers on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, lost their lives in Delta State after sustaining severe gunshot injuries when they ran into a crossfire between the police and their gang members in a bid to escape arrest.
The spokesman in the state Police command, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed this on Thursday, September 28.
According to the PPRO, the Command had been on the trail of the leader of a dreaded kidnapping syndicate, one ‘Momotimi.’
The syndicate was said to have been responsible for a bank robbery operation at a Wetland Microfinance Bank in Udu Local Government Area in 2021, resulting in Momotimi and his gang being on the command’s most wanted list.
The syndicate was also suspected to be responsible for several incidences of kidnap attacks and killings of policemen and other security agents within the state, with rifles carted away.
“On September 23, at about 10:30am, while acting on credible intelligence, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, Wale Abass, detailed the Divisional Police Officer, Ekpan Division, CSP Aliyu Shaba, to follow up on the Intelligence.
“Consequently, the DPO led a team of police operatives in a sting operation to the hideout of Momotimi and his gang members in Rivers State, and, in a combined effort with operatives of Rivers State Police Command’s Rapid Response Team {RRT}, arrested the said David Momotimi, aged 32, a native of Morogun Community, Warri, alongside three of his gang members.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were planning a ferocious mission of armed robbery in Warri before their arrest. Among his gang members is a PoS operator who was also providing the gang with information about potential kidnap victims.
“Items recovered from the suspects are one ash-colour Toyota Camry car with registration number Lagos LND 508 GM, and three MONIEPOINT PoS machines.
“The CP directed the suspects to be transferred to the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad (SAKCCS) for further investigation,” the PPRO stated.
Continuing, Edafe said: “On 27/9/2023, at about 6:42pm, the suspects led operatives of SAKCCS to their hideout in Warri, but on their way, the operatives were ambushed by hoodlums suspected to be members of the gang.
“In a bid to rescue the arrested suspects, the hoodlums engaged the police in a fierce gun duel, to which the operatives responded.
“In the ensuing gun duel, the operatives successfully subdued and repelled the attackers. Two police officers sustained gunshot injuries. However, the four suspects, in a bid to escape, ran into the crossfire and sustained serious gunshot injuries.
“They were taken to general hospital in Kwale where they were certified dead by the doctor on duty. When the area was combed, a corpse suspected to be one of the attackers was recovered.
“Two defaced AK-47 rifles, four magazines, 26 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 47 empty shells of 7.62mm ammunition were also recovered.”
Applauding the gallantry exhibited by the police operatives, CP Abass also commended the collaboration of members of the public with the command thus far and appealed for more cooperation.
He urged anyone with information that would help track the fleeing suspects to contact the Police Public Relations Office.
Alternatively, he said, information could be shared via the Command’s
dedicated lines:
•08036684974, 08125958005, 09053872287 (Control Room)
•09155570007, 09155570008 (PPRO’s Office)
