The Edo State Police Command says it gunned down five suspected kidnappers in a shootout on Saturday in the Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.
The daredevil assailants were reportedly on a mission to abduct an expatriate at Okomu Oil Palm Plantation, police spokesman in the state, Bello Kotongs, said.
Kotongs said the police deployed to the location after receiving information that kidnappers had perfected plans to abduct an expatriate at the plantation.
He said the kidnappers opened fire on the police team on getting to the location, forcing them to return the fire.
“In the ensuing gun battle, the operatives neutralised five of the suspected kidnappers while others escaped with gunshot injuries,” the spokesman said.
Kontongs added that an operation to fish out the fleeing kidnappers was ongoing.
According to him, the items recovered after the standoff include an AK-47, one single-barrelled cut-to-size gun, one long-barrelled gun and eight live cartridges.