In an exchange of gunfire, two suspected kidnappers were killed by Kwara State police command operatives.
They were accosted in the bush while attempting to split the ransom collected from the families of two kidnapped victims.
The kidnappers allegedly abducted Afusat Lawal (f) and her son Taofeek Lawal on Tuesday in Shao town, Moro Local Government Area, Kwara State.
They were kidnapped and whisked away around 23:20 hours, according to Okasanmi Ajayi, spokesman for the State Police Command, in a statement issued in Ilorin on Wednesday.
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He announced the victims’ rescue following an intensive and painstaking search and rescue operation by the Command’s Tactical teams, who were assisted by Vigilante and hunters.
Okasanmi said “the kidnappers were accosted in the bush while trying to share the ransom collected from the family of the victims; they opened fire on the operatives immediately they were sighted.
“During exchange of fire, two of the kidnappers that suffered gunshot injuries in the encounter were arrested and taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital where they were confirmed dead.
“Consequently, their corpses were deposited in the hospital mortuary for autopsy.”
The spokesman said exhibits recovered from the kidnappers included “one Honda Accord Saloon car with Reg. Number LAGOS GJ 52 LSR, one single barrel gun and an unspecified amount of money.”
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Effort is still being intensified to get other fleeing members of the gang for prosecution, he added.
Okasanmi further disclosed that the rescued victims have reunited with their family after being certified medically stable.
