The Rivers State Police Command has rescued Bisola Ajayi, the Port Harcourt-based lawyer who was kidnapped by men in military uniform on Sunday.
Also rescued was a staff member of the British High Commission, Abuja, Mr Paul Nyalaku, whose car the kidnappers had used in abducting Bisola, just as one of the suspected kidnappers was killed, while another was arrested.
Recall that the Nigerian Bar Association had set up a task force to ensure the speedy rescue of the lawyer.
But the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, on Thursday said the two victims were rescued by the operatives of the police Anti-Kidnapping Unit who stormed the kidnappers’ hideout at a forest in Okomoko, in the Etche Local Government Area around 9.30pm on Wednesday.
Mukan said, “She (Bisola) was freed along with one Paul Nyalaku of the British High Commission, Abuja. He was kidnapped on October 4 on NTA Road, Mgbuoba.
“During the operation, one of the kidnappers, Chinedu Chigbu, 39, who was keeping watch over the victims, was arrested, while one other was fatally wounded in gun battle.
“He was taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead, while other suspects escaped into the bush. Their camp has been destroyed.
“Exhibits recovered from them include one Ak-47 rifle, a fully loaded magazine and one hundred rounds of live ammunition. Efforts are on to arrest other members of the gang.”
The police also paraded three suspects over their alleged involvement in the attempted selling of a 14-day-old boy.
It was reported that the boy’s grandmother sold him because Christian Duru, the husband of her daughter, Anthonia Joseph, failed to fulfill traditional marriage obligation.
“The two weeks old baby was for N1.3m. The grandmother was arrested and she led the detectives to one Pauline Umoh.
“Umoh led the Police to Mgbidi in Imo State where the buyer, Juliana Obianwa, was arrested and the baby recovered,” Mukan stated.
