Suspected Kidnap Gang Member Gunned Down

Asaba—FOUR members of a kidnap gang, suspected to have kidnapped a Delta State High Court judge, Justice Marcel Okoh, two weeks ago, have met their waterloo, a day after the judge was released. The suspected kidnappers were gunned down the next day,  after they were trailed to a hideout in Benin City, Edo State, shortly after kidnapping a Director in the state Ministry of Economic Planning as he was returning home from work. State police command’s spokesman, Mr. Charles Muka, in a statement in Asaba, yesterday, said: “Suspected kidnappers of the judge were gunned down on August 16, 2012 at 7.30p.m., a day after kidnapping a Director in the State Ministry of Economic Planning.” The police spokesman added that the command was not in a hurry to release the judge’s driver following alleged mounting evidence on complicity against him. He said: “One Mr. Benson Ojoto,  Director of Ministry of Economic Planning reported on August 15, that while driving  into his residence  at Ezenei, Asaba, in his official Hilux pick-up, five  armed men trailed and kidnapped him. “However,  he escaped from them and they drove away with the Hilux. Through information, the gang was trailed to Benin City by men of Operation Storm, where four unidentified suspected kidnappers were gunned down while one escaped with bullet wounds.” Muka noted that the Hilux was recovered along with one AK 50, 4 live ammunition, one locally-made revolver pistol, two cartridges, one military jacket,  one Volvo and  one Toyota car. He added that efforts were on to track down the fleeing members of the gang.- Vanguard.