By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—A crack team of police officers from Abia and Imo State police commands have rescued the kidnapped Treasurer of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Peter Orji, from where he was kept in Ntigha, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State.

Chief Orji, a former Imo State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, was kidnapped in Owerri and kept in custody for nearly one week by the criminals, preparatory to receiving the N50 million they demanded from his family, before the security men struck and freed him.

The freed chieftain of the PDP revealed that the criminal gang has its hideout in Ntigha, Isiala Ngwa North local council area of Abia state, adding that people in the area have made kidnapping a new found source of making fast money.

A reliable police source,  who pleaded anonymity, said that the police team traced the criminals to their hideout in Isiala Ngwa North, where serious exchange of gunfire ensued, adding that the criminals suffered varying degrees of wounds in the process.

“One of the criminals, who suffered severe wound, was arrested and on interrogation, he disclosed the names of some of his fleeing colleagues, before he died,” the source said.

Speaking to journalists, the State PDP Chairman, Chief Marcellinus Nlemigbo, thanked God that his colleague came out of the grip of the criminals unhurt.

He was happy with the police for “handling the rescue operation with clinical finesse” and appealed to parents and guardians to closely watch the activities of their children and wards.