By Perez Brisibe

UGHELLI—A  local vigilante group in Ughelli popularly referred to as Bakassi yesterday smashed a kidnap gang suspected to be terrorising Ughelli and environs and apprehended one of the suspected kidnappers.

The vigilante team also rescued the abducted pensioner of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Chief Agba Edoreh.

Chief Agba who had suffered a similar fate some years ago in the hands of kidnappers, was abducted with a yet to be identified victim last Sunday along the Ekuigbo-Warri road, Ekuigbo, Ughelli.

Confirming the rescue of the victim, a senior member of the Ughelli vigilante, said the group acting on intelligence information, trailed the kidnap gang to Agbarho community where they engaged the team in a gun battle.

According to him, “at the end of the ensuing gun duel, one of the kidnappers was apprehended and has since been handed over to the police while others escaped with gunshot wounds.”