September 18, 2022

The Police Command in Cross River has confirmed killing of two out of the three suspected kidnappers involved in the abduction of four clerics sometime in August.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Aminu Alhassan, gave the confirmation in Calabar on Sunday.

He said that the two suspects were naturalised by SP Awodi Abdulhameed led Anti Cultism and Kidnapping Squad that carried out a covert operation based on credible intelligence.

According to him, “It is true that we neutralised two kidnap kingpins involved in the kidnap of some pastors who went to Church planting at Creek Town, Odukpani Local Government Area of the state.

“The two couldn’t make it alive, while the third who is now at large, was severely injured during a gun duel.”

The Commissioner appealed to the locals to be on the look out for anyone with gun wounds in their community.

“Remember we had earlier warned that we will no longer wait for them (criminals) to commit crime, we shall keep smoking them out from their various camps, hideouts.

“Especially as we have entered Ember months, we want to urge law abiding citizens to be more vigilant and shouldn’t take security for granted because it’s everybody’s business.

“But as a command we will keep pressing for the mark, we will keep giving our best,” he stated.

He said that the trio had been terrorising inhabitants of the area for long until they were busted by the anti Cultism and Kidnapping Unit.

The four abducted clerics of the Apostolic Church and three others, who had gone for Church planting when they were abducted.

They were released by their abductors after payment of N10 million ransom.(NAN)