Soldiers rescue 2 kidnap victims in Akwa Ibom, kill kingpin during a raid

While the ringleader of the group Otobong Moses aka Otoabasi was shot dead during the operation, two of his accomplices have been arrested.

Men of the 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, in a combined operation with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), raised a kidnappers’ den in Akwa Ibom, where two victims were rescued.

In the course of the raid on Obon Ebot in the Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom, a kidnap kingpin Otobong Moses, alias Otoabasi, who specialised in abducting, killing and burying his victims, who didn’t do his biddings, was shot dead.

Having rescued two victims in Otobasi’s custody, the security operatives deployed for the raid also nabbed two of the deceased’s accomplices.

Briefing journalists after the raid, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Capt. Samuel Akari said one sub-machine gun and magazine, 67 rounds of 9MM ammunition, two motorcycles, 16 mobile phones, one AK-47 rifle magazine with 30 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and nine machetes, were recovered from the suspects.

Other recovered items are -two military monkey jackets, one helmet strapped with military camouflage uniform, two pairs of military camouflage uniform, one military police beret, one police camouflage fez cap, one military pull over, an ATM card, two TV sets, a standing fan, a decoder and four generators.

“The first phase of the operation was conducted on May 12. During the operations, troops raided the criminal hideout; but on sighting the troops, the criminals abandoned their hideout and fled.

“The gallant troops rescued the kidnapped victims and arrested two collaborators of the criminal kingpin, while the shrine, hideout and assorted charms were set ablaze by the troops,” Akari said as he explained to journalists how the raid was carried out.

He added that all the arrested suspects have been taken into custody for further investigation.