The Delta State Police Command has killed four members of a gang which specialised in kidnapping.
The spokesman for the command, Bright Edafe, disclosed this development to newsmen on Wednesday in Warri.
Edafe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the hoodlums were killed on Monday by operatives of the command during a patrol on the Jesse-Igueleba Road.
He said that the armed gang members sighted the patrol vehicle from their hideout, deflated its front tyre and engaged the patrol team on a gun duel.
He said: “Due to reported incidents of kidnapping on Jesse axis of the state, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wale Abass, directed deployment of operatives of the Special Anti-kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad and DOPS Bufallo team, among others, to the area.
“Consequently, on September 18, during a joint patrol on Jesse-Igueleba Road, the team encountered a gang of armed bandits who laid ambush to attack and kidnap unsuspecting motorists.
“The hoodlums fired at the front tyre of the lead pickup van, thus, demobilising the vehicle.
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“They were swiftly engaged in a gun duel by the police team.
“The armed bandits eventually succumbed to the superior firepower of the policemen.”
According to the spokesman, the police team pursued the bandits into a deep forest during which four of them were killed.
Edafe said one AK-47 rifle with 20 rounds of live ammunition, two locally-made cut-to-size guns and cartridges were recovered from them.