•NSCDC officer, soldier shot
•Police recover bodies from forest
Operatives of Oyo State Police Command have recovered the bodies of a soldier and a civilian from a forest in Ibadan while searching for a foreigner kidnapped on December 12.
Police spokesman Olugbenga Fadeyi said on Monday that an Army Lieutenant and an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were also injured during the exchange of gunfire between the kidnappers and security operatives.
According to him, Hassan Mills of Panorama Farm, Mekun, Oke Alaro area of Ibadan, was abducted at the entrance of his farm by gunmen.
He added that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Oke Alaro and his men combed the forest to rescue the victim.
A team of Operation Burst, which was invited by the company, arrived at the area and proceeded to the forest. An Army Lieutenant sustained gunshot injury on his right lap and was taken to the hospital.
Fadeyi said the victim’s personal assistant, who was also abducted, escaped during the exchange of gunfire.
He said: “On December 12, about 17:23 hours, Hassan Mills of Panorama Darm Mekun, Oke Alaro, was abducted at the entrance of his farm by gunmen who shot sporadically before taking him into the forest.
“The DPO of Oke Alaro combed the forest with a view to rescue the abductor and also arrest the culprits. A team of Operation Burst which was invited by the company also arrived at the area and proceeded to the forest.
“One Army Lieutenant sustained gunshot injury on his right lap, while the victim’s personal assistant escaped during the gunfire.
“On December 13, the bodies of a soldier and a civilian were discovered in the forest while a Civil Defence officer also sustained gunshot injuries after a search of the forest.
“Movement of these foreign nationals are most times not known to the police to allow them get professional advice to. Negotiations with the culprits are also concealed from the police.
“Efforts have been intensified to arrest the hoodlums and also rescue the victim.”
