14 kidnap suspects have been arrested by the Imo State Police Command in connection with the murder of one Emeka Esieme and two policemen in Oguta in February.
Disclosing the newsmen in Owerri on Tuesday, state Commissioner for Police, Mr Mohammed Katsina said 14 out of the 15 kidnap suspects have been arrested.
“The gang members opened fire when they sighted the anti-kidnap police team. This led to their arrest.”
The commissioner said the gang was responsible for the robbery at the Orlu branch of UBA in 2012 and First Bank in Amaraku in 2013.
According to him, their leader, one Osueke escaped arrest in February when he ran off to Lagos.
“Osueke sneaked into Owerri last night and assembled his recruits at a hideout in Umutako Ifeakala in Mbaitoli where they were planning to adopt a prominent woman at a meeting.
“They were engaged in massive gun fire by our nearby anti-kidnapping squad during which the gang leader, one Emeka Osueke, alias Ogbanje, was gunned down,” he said.
Katsina said one of the gang members fled and abandoned one AK47 rifle believed to be one of the two rifles snatched from the slain policemen.
One military assault rifle, 162 AK47 live ammunitions, seven AK47 magazines and four mobile phones were also recovered from the gang.
The commissioner said three pump action guns and 50 live cartridges, one English pistol; two single barrel guns, one cut-to-size single barrel gun, one double barrel gun and three locally made pistols were recovered from their hideout.
The commissioner promised the people of the state that the command will not relent in fighting and preventing crime, advising members of the public to steer away from it.
Bad thing dosn’t last, is only good things that last forever, I know one day monkey go go market never return back, this is end of road for kidnappers, their days are numbered,
I think this police men deserve promotion,