Three suspected kidnappers have been killed in a gun duel with police operatives in Ogunmwenyi near Usen Community in Ovia South West Local Government area of the State where an Italian Priest, Rev. Fr Luigi Brena was abducted.

This comes barely 24 hours after two Catholic Priests travelling from Benin to Auchi for a social event on Saturday.

Operatives at Iguobazuwa police Division attached to Edo State Command trailed the suspected kidnappers to their Camp where they had encounter with police operatives and rescued the Cleric in Somascan Father’s Community at 5:17p.m on Sunday.

Deputy Public Relations of the Nigeria police Command in the State, ASP Jennifer Iwegbu disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

She revealed that the hoodlums engaged police operatives who acted on credible information in a gun battle.

ASP Iwegbu said, “The suspects on sighting the operatives, opened fire on them”, while the superior fire power of the police operatives neutralized three of the kidnappers.

The statement said other members of the kidnap gang allegedly escaped into the forest with various degrees of gun shot injuries abandoning their victim (Priest) who was immediately taken to Igbinedion Teaching Hospital, Okada (IUTH) for medical attention.

“Consequent upon this, Operatives of the Edo state police Command attached to Iguobazuwa Division on the 03/07/2022 at about 1745hrs received information that Rev. Fr Luigi Brena ‘M’ 64yrs, an Italian of Somascan Father’s Community was kidnapped by hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers, along Ogunwenyi through Usen Community in Ovia South West Local government area of Edo state .

“On receipt of the information, the police Operatives immediately swung into action and trailed the suspected kidnappers to their camp.

“The suspects on sighting the operatives, opened fire on them, the superior fire power of the police operatives neutralized three of the kidnappers while the rest escaped into the forest with various degrees of gun shot injuries abandoning their victim.

Already, intensive bush combing is ongoing with the aim of arresting the suspected kidnappers now on the run, according to the State Commissioner of police, CP. Abutu Yaro who recently ordered a massive deployment of police Operatives to volatile areas in the State.

 42 total views