Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, attached to the Police Mobile Force (PMF) 70 Squadron, Kabba, have successfully thwarted an attempted abduction of passengers along Ayere Road in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State on Friday.
The intervention followed a distress call alerting authorities that armed hoodlums had barricaded the road and attempted to seize travelers from a passing vehicle.
Acting swiftly, reinforcement teams from the Sharper Corner pin-down point were deployed to the scene, engaging the criminals in a fierce gun battle.
Overpowered by the superior firepower of the police, the assailants abandoned their captives and fled into the surrounding forest.
All passengers were safely rescued, and no casualties were reported among the victims or law enforcement officers.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Aya, confirmed that the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, CP Miller Dantawaye, has ordered an intensive manhunt for the fleeing criminals. Tactical teams have been deployed to comb the surrounding forests and ensure the perpetrators are apprehended.
CP Dantawaye commended the officers of the 70 PMF, Kabba, for their swift and courageous response. He reassured the public of the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and maintaining security across the state.