The Delta State Police Command has shut down three suspected kidnappers in the state.

Bright Edafe, The state police spokesman, had confirmed this in a statement on Monday in Asaba.

Bright Edafe words, “On June 5, 2022, around 12.35pm, operatives of the command’s Rapid Response Squad, while on an undercover anti-crime patrol along the Asaba/Benin Expressway, some armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers numbering about five, suddenly emerged from the bush at Umunede axis.

“The hoodlums fired gunshots at the space bus in an attempt to rob and possibly kidnap the occupants, but unknown to them that the occupants were undercover police operatives.

“The team smartly disembarked from the vehicle and returned fire. The hoodlums, on realising that their potential victims were policemen, ran into the bush.

“The team went into a fierce gun duel with the hoodlums during which three members of the gang were fatally wounded.

“The injured hoodlums were taken to a hospital, but died while receiving treatment.”

Bright Edafe reported that a search for the fleeing members of the gang was ongoing, while one fabricated revolver pistol, six 7.62mm live ammunition and four expended 7.62mm ammunition were recovered from them.

Edafe also said a 48-year-old man, Suleiman Musa, who specialised in stealing home items, was arrested by the command.

According to Edafe, 540 rounds of live cartridges, three generators, one solar light, one sewing machine, two television sets and one motorcycle were recovered from him.

Edafe, further said that operatives of the Eagle-Net Special Squad while on a patrol along the Asaba Ogwashi-Uku Expressway also intercepted a commercial vehicle and arrested a 20-year-old man, Edea Samuel.

He said items recovered included 4,054 wraps of a substance suspected to be cocaine, and 954 wraps of heroine in a bag belonging to one of his passenge.