C41 lntelligence Operatives of the Rivers State Police command in the early hours of Saturday raided a suspected kidnapper’s hideout at Oyigbo/ lgbo- Etche forest.
The operatives were acting on actionable intelligence gathered on the kidnapping gang.
The Public Relations Officer, SP Grace lringe – KoKo, in a statement said the suspects upon sighting the police team opened fire on them.
During the gun duel that lasted for an hour, the gang leader, who was later identified as AKA Blacky, was fatally wounded.
Another suspect identified as Peter Nwafor was shot while trying to escape.
The statement said the two suspects were taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital where they were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
Their corpses were deposited at the UPTH mortuary.
SP lringe- Koko said the gang was linked to the kidnapped of a woman and her daughter on 18th March, 2023 along Garrison.
