Six suspected kidnappers have been shot dead in Edo State.
The suspects were killed by Edo State police command at Ahor bypass near Benin City.
Standard Gazette crime Correspondent Festus Alenkhe who was at the scene of the incident, gathered that the heavily armed bandits positioned themselves in the nearby bush and suddenly entered the road in a daring attempt to abduct passengers.
SG gathered that the kidnappers numbering twenty, barricaded the Lagos end of the Benin bypass at about 6.35am as they attacked several motorists.
Standard Gazette gathered that a commercial bus from Lagos travelling to Calabar with passengers was intercepted by the alleged kidnappers who shot sporadically, forcing the driver to stop.
Five of the passengers were kidnapped and forced into the bush.
The driver of a trailer load of goods travelling from Lagos to the Eastern part of the country driving behind the attacked commercial bus immediately jumped out of the moving truck and escaped into the bush, SG gathered.
The trailer later fell into a dish with the goods scattered.
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During the incident, a police crack team made up of men of the anti-kidnapping squad who were travelling for investigation activities rammed into the scene.
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In the ensuing gun battle between the police operatives and the bandits, six of the suspected kidnappers were killed, while all the kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt and continued their journey.
One of the suspects who spoke with our correspondent before he died said, “I am from Kogi state and have been in Benin city for three months. Our leader, Hawa, gave us a gun to block the road and kidnap people so that we could make money.
“I regret it now as the police have shot me. We tried to fire back, but the police overpowered us”.
The driver of the commercial bus, one of the passengers and a motorist who witnessed the kidnapping incident commended the police for their swift response.
Edo State Police Public Relations Officer SP Bello Kontongs, who confirmed the incident, warned criminals to relocate from Edo State or continue to face strong police resistance.
According to the police image maker, “the commissioner of police, Edo state command Abutu Yaro is battle-ready to ensure that Edo state people sleep with their two eyes closed “.
