Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command and the Neighbourhood Watch Group have rescued kidnapped victims after a gun battle with the abductors along Eke/Ebe Road in Udi Local Government Area.
This information was provided in a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Wednesday.
The statement mentioned that the Enugu State Police Command’s operatives, along with the Neighbourhood Watch Group, rescued victims who were allegedly kidnapped on March 31, 2024, at about 6:15 p.m., after a fierce gun battle with the abductors, who abandoned the victims and fled.
The quick rescue was a result of the team’s fast response to information about the victims, who were attacked and kidnapped while on the road in two Mercedes Benz 4Matic Jeeps.
Further operations to search for the abductors are still ongoing.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, has criticized a viral video alleging that another police team refused to enter the forest to rescue the victims, due to lack of clear knowledge of the first responding team's location.
The commissioner described the allegations in the viral video as an unfortunate attempt to harm the reputation of the police and distract them from addressing crime in Enugu State.
He also stressed that the video was a deliberate attempt to misinform and mislead the public, but assured that the command will continue its efforts to eliminate criminals and their activities in Enugu State despite such efforts to distract them.