The police command in Delta State said it has killed five persons suspected to be members of a kidnap syndicate in the state.

The spokesman for the command, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in Warri on Wednesday.

Mr Edafe said that the suspects were killed on Friday during a gun duel with the operatives of the CP-Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT).

He said that the incident occurred inside the Uwiamughe forest in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Edafe said that the CP-SAT was led in the operation by ASP Julius Robinson, following credible information.

“Acting on credible information, the police team trailed and arrested the leader of a kidnapping syndicate at the DSC roundabout in Warri. The arrest and interrogation of the suspect led to the arrest of two other suspects at Otovwodo Park in Ughelli,” he said.

Mr Edafe said that preliminary investigation showed that the suspects were allegedly responsible for the series of kidnappings and armed robberies in Uwiamughe, Otu-Jeremi, Warri, Ughelli, and environs.

“Acting on the strength of their confessions, the suspects led the operatives to Uwaimughe Forest, where they hide their weapons. Upon exit from the forest, some hoodlums suspected to be members of the syndicate engaged the police in a gun duel. During the gun duel, five of the hoodlums sustained gunshot injuries while others escaped,” he said.

The police spokesman said that the injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment.

Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the suspects included one AK-47 rifle, one pump action gun, and three locally made guns.

Others were two magazines, 60 rounds of Ak-47 live ammunition and 17 rounds of live cartridges.

Mr Edafe said that the three arrested suspects and the recovered weapons were in the custody of the police.

He added that effort was in top gear to arrest the fleeing members of the gang. 

(NAN)