A policeman and a Pastor/ businessman, Oluwafemi Akomolafe, have been shot dead during a shoot-out between police detectives and suspected kidnappers along Ore expressway, Ondo state.
The pastor’s son, Timilehin, and two others- Micheal Popoola and Henry Usifo, kidnapped after the shootout, have been rescued by police detectives in the state in conjunction with village hunters. Gun Vanguard gathered that the late Akomolafe was taking his son Timilehin back to school in his car when he ran into the crossfire.
He reportedly died on the spot following the stray bullet that hit him while the kidnappers took his son and the two other victims away.
Confirming this yesterday, the state Police Commissioner, Olugbenga Adeyanju said the victims were rescued when detectives invaded the kidnappers’ hideout adding that no ransom was paid. Adeyanju pointed out that the three victims, who were travelling from Port- Harcourt were kidnapped while on their way to Lagos.
Narrating how they were kidnapped, Adeyanju said
“On Nov. 24 at about 3:45 p.m., one Mr. Akomolafe was travelling from Akure to Lagos to drop his son, Timilehin at the University of Lagos. “Unfortunately his jeep was intercepted by kidnappers and in the process, he was killed and his son was kidnapped. “The jeep right behind his vehicle was equally shot and the mobile policeman lost his life but the driver was fast enough to escape to safety when policemen came to the scene firing and the kidnappers ran away.
“They took Timilehin and two other travellers, Popoola and Usifo, who were coming from Port Harcourt to Lagos in a commercial vehicle, and this happened almost simultaneously,” he said.
The commissioner said the kidnappers escaped with the gunshot wounds after a gun battle with policemen.
“The victims were, however, rescued without any ransom paid after men of the Nigeria Police and local hunters combed the bush around Ore, where they intercepted the kidnappers, engaging in a gun battle with them, and injuring one of them, who escaped in the process. Adeyanju said no arrest was made but those rescued are volunteering useful information to help in the arrest of the kidnappers.
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.