(Exhibit recovered. Photo Credit: Punch News)
The Ondo State Police Command says its operatives have neutralised two suspected kidn@ppers during a gun battle in Ilu-Abo along the Akure-Owo Expressway.
The command said the operation, carried out in the early hours of Wednesday, also led to the recovery of a locally fabricated pistol, live cartridges, four mobile phones, face masks and two ATM cards.
According to a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the incident occurred at about 3:30 a.m. after operatives of the Federal Highway Patrol Unit, Ilu-Abo, responded to a distress call over the activities of armed men at Olaiya Block Industry, located beside Ilu-Abo High School.
Jimoh said preliminary findings showed that about seven masked gunmen had invaded the premises of the block industry and demanded to see the owner.
He said acting swiftly on credible intelligence, the police patrol team mobilised to the scene, where the suspects engaged operatives in a fierce exchange of gunfire.
During the encounter, two of the suspected kidn@ppers were neutralised, while the remaining members of the gang escaped into the surrounding bush with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
According to the statement, a locally fabricated pistol, live cartridges, four mobile phones, several face masks, as well as two ATM cards believed to belong to the criminal syndicate or their victims were recovered from the scene.
Jimoh said the bodies of the dece@sed suspects had been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, while the case had been transferred to the Anti-Kidn@pping Squad of the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
He added that efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects, believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the exchange.
The PPRO appealed to residents, particularly healthcare providers, to report anyone presenting with suspicious gunshot injuries or exhibiting suspicious movements to the nearest police station.
Meanwhile, the command reaffirmed its commitment to tackling kidn@pping and other violent crimes through intelligence-led policing and enhanced operational strategies.
It also expressed appreciation to members of the public for their continued cooperation and urged them to keep providing timely and credible information to support ongoing efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.