By Chidi Nkwopara
Three dare devil kidnappers, who stormed the Emekuku, Owerri North local council area country home of the Minister of Interior, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, with the intent of kidnapping his elder brother were Monday morning killed by the police.

The police also arrested three other suspects allegedly involved in kidnapping and armed robbery, as well as rescued a four-year old boy and another man, who had earlier been kidnapped by the hoodlums and kept in a thick forest close to Umuneke Ngor.

Confirming the development while parading the suspects and the remains of the three hoodlums at the State Police Headquarters, Owerri, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Linus Nwaiwu, said the police equally recovered two vehicles used by the hoodlums, including a Toyota Camry saloon car with registration number EDO, DK 625 BEN.

“The Command got credible information from a concerned citizen about the kidnap plan and we had to send our operatives to the Minister’s home. When the kidnappers arrived the Minister’s home, our men encountered them and an initial exchange of fire ensued”, the PPRO said.

According to police spokesman, the hoodlums zoomed off in their car and snatched a Jeep midway, adding that the policemen that were on their trail followed them up to Ulakwo, where a fresh gun duel ensued.

Answering another question, the PPRO said that the police recovered an AK 47 rifle; two locally made pistols; over 25 live cartridges, a pump action rifle, two Dell laptops, one DVD Video player, 35 telephone handsets, an iron cutter, dagger, N16,000 cash and machete.

While saying that one of the hoodlums escaped into the bush, the PPRO however promised that the police and villagers were combing the bush with a view to arresting the fleeing gangster.