Two suspected kidnappers have been killed by operatives of the Kwara State police command in an exchange of gunfire.
It was learnt that they were accosted in the bush while trying to share the ransom collected from the family of two kidnapped victims.
The kidnappers had on Tuesday reportedly abducted one Afusat Lawal (f) and her son Taofeek Lawal at Shao town in the Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.
They were abducted and whisked away at about 23:20 hours, according to the spokesman of the State Police Command, Okasanmi Ajayi in a statement in Ilorin on Wednesday.
He announced the rescue of the victims after an intensive and painstaking search and rescue operation by the Command’s Tactical teams, supported by Vigilante and hunters.
Okasanmi said “the kidnappers were accosted in the bush while trying to share the ransom collected from the family of the victims; they opened fire on the operatives immediately they were sighted.
“During exchange of fire, two of the kidnappers that suffered gunshot injuries in the encounter were arrested and taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital where they were confirmed dead.
“Consequently, their corpses were deposited in the hospital mortuary for autopsy.”
The spokesman said exhibits recovered from the kidnappers included “one Honda Accord Saloon car with Reg. Number LAGOS GJ 52 LSR, one single barrel gun and an unspecified amount of money.”
Effort is still being intensified to get other fleeing members of the gang for prosecution, he added.
Okasanmi further disclosed that the rescued victims have reunited with their family after being certified medically stable.