by ‘Jola Sotubo

The police in Abia have shot dead an alleged kidnap kingpin in the state as part of their efforts to rid the state of the abduction scourge.

The deceased is said to have terrorized residents of Aba along with his gang before he was killed by the police.

The suspect lost his life after his gang allegedly opened fire on police officers who had discovered their hideout.

The Sun reports:

The Police in Ohuru Isimiri Division near Aba in Abia State, at the week­end, shot dead a suspected kidnap kingpin, whose gang had allegedly been terrorizing the city in re­cent times.

It was gathered that on April 9, 2014, one Prince Ndubuisi Christopher was kidnapped by a gang said to have been led by one Chigadi, as he was entering his compound at 37 Church Road, Osusu Umuikpegh, near Aba.

The kidnappers were also said to have made away with their victim’s Nissan Xtera Sport Utility Vehicle with registration number, Abuja: RBC 305 AA.

However, intensive combing of suspected hide­outs of the hoodlums by policemen led by the Divi­sional Police Officer of Oh­uru Isimiri, Mr Titus Anayo Ugwoke, led to the rescue of the victim, after two days.

Nemesis was said to have caught up with Chigadi, the suspected kingpin when the police got information that he, together with some members of his gang were in a hotel located within Ukwu Agbu area of the city, planning for another opera­tion.

Following the tip-off, the Police Area Commander for Aba, Mr Peter Wagbara, sent more policemen led by the DPO, to Ohuru Isimiri, the combined police team raided the hotel.

It was gathered that on sighting the police team, the gang opened fire and in the ensuing gun duel, the king­pin was hit by a bullet and he died on the way to the hospital.

Two other members of the gang including a woman, were also arrested, while others escaped .The gang was alleged to be re­sponsible for the kidnap of a young woman at Eastern Ngwa a forth night ago and she was released after fam­ily members paid an undis­closed ransom.

Policemen were said to have recovered some stolen items from the house of the arrested gang members.

Following the earlier ar­rests, the police also stormed a house on Bible College Road, Umuelendu, near Aba, where a woman sim­ply identified as Grace, who allegedly sponsors kidnap­pers and child traffickers re­sides. Some suspected criminals were arrested while the woman who allegedly bought many tricycles with which her boys carried out their operations, escaped.