By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Police in Anambra State, in collaboration with the Military and Ihiala Vigilante, on Tuesday rescued kidnapped victim while on transit in a black shuttle bus with registration number RSH 255 MS during a routine patrol.

A statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said that the joint security team on patrol attempted to stop the vehicle when the armed occupants opened fire on them.

He said that during the gunfight, the joint security team succeeded in neutralizing one of the armed assailants and four others, who sustained bullet wounds, abandoned the shuttle bus and escaped into a nearby bush.

The statement read in part, "Upon searching the vehicle, the operatives discovered a blindfolded victim, suspected to have been kidnapped, with his hands and legs bound and his mouth gagged.

"The victim was successfully rescued, provided with first aid, and debriefed by police operatives. The shuttle was also recovered. The joint security team is continuing operations in the area in search of the other suspects who remain at large.

The PPRO further urged all private and public hospitals to admit individuals with bullet wounds or suspicious injuries but to report them immediately to the nearest police station.

According to him, the measure is crucial to the ongoing efforts geared towards the apprehension of the fleeing suspects and prevent further escalation of criminal activities in the state.

Ikenga said the command remains committed to ensuring security dominance through sustained patrols and targeted security operations in the state.