Kogi vigilance group on Sunday smashed a kidnappers’ den, killed two of the criminals and rescued two victims.

The rescued victims, according to Abdulrahaman Ohiare, the chairman of Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi, are Sanni Uwaiti and Ramatu Tukur.

He said the victims were residents of the Toll Gate area, along the Okene and Ajaokuta axis.

In a statement issued in Lokoja by his aide, King Habib, the local government chairman said arms and ammunition belonging to the kidnappers were also recovered.

Mr Ohiare said the two kidnappers met their waterloo during an operation against terrorists carried out by a combined team of the vigilance group and local hunters in the early hours of June 26.

“One of the kidnappers died during a shootout with the vigilance group, and the other, who was seriously wounded, died on the way to the hospital.

“The gang had been terrorising motorists on Okene-Lokoja road and Okene-Auchi road of Kogi before the operation.

“The early morning operation successfully led to the rescue of two abductees held captive by kidnappers at Upogoro Hills in Okehi,” he stated.

The chairman explained that the operation was in response to Governor Yahaya Bello’s directive to the council chairman to swing into action and make Okehi LGA and its environs safe.

He said the council would leave no stone unturned in its bid to rid Okehi LGA of all crimes and criminality.

(NAN)