The police command in Delta said it rescued three kidnapped victims and recovered weapons in two separate operations in the state.
The command spokesman, Bright Edafe, told reporters on Sunday in Warri that the victims were rescued by the police operatives attached to the Orerokpe Division in the Okpe Local Government Area of the state.
He said the police team was on a visibility patrol duty on the Warri/Sapele Road by Okuvo and Egborede communities on Saturday when the incident happened.
“The police operatives sighted some persons being dragged into the bush and suspected that they may have been kidnapped.
“So, they trailed them into the bush. The hoodlums, upon realising that the policemen were closing in on them, opened fire on the team, and the policemen equally responded,” he said.
According to Mr Edafe, the hoodlums, who could not withstand the firepower of the operatives, abandoned the victims and escaped.
He said they were rescued unhurt and had since reunited with their families while a search for the fleeing suspect was ongoing.
On the recovered weapon, Mr Edafe said the police operatives attached to ‘A’ Division, Warri recovered a locally made cut-to-size pistol concealed in a handbag.
He said the policemen were on a stop-and-search duty on Friday at the front of Daudu Police Outpost, Kpesu community in Warri South, when they sighted a tricycle driving against traffic.
“In an attempt to stop them, the suspects dangerously manoeuvred the tricycle and escaped, but in the process, a black handbag fell from the tricycle.
“Upon searching the bag, one locally made cut-to-size pistol was recovered. Efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects is ongoing,” Mr Edafe said. (NAN)