A member of a criminal gang terrorizing residents of Anambra state has been killed by police in the state.

Spokesman of the state police command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Saturday said the incident occurred at Agulu/Nnobi road.

He said: “Police operatives from the operations department of the command, attached to a VIP in the state on 29/11/2024 by 8:30 pm along Agulu/Nnobi road, demobilized one of the criminal elements in the state and recovered one pump action gun, five live cartridges, five machetes, two SUV jeeps and two pairs of desert shoe.”

He said the hoodlums attacked the VIP’s convoy unprovoked, leading to a retaliation.

“The operatives resisted the armed men operating in a grey-coloured Lexus ES 330 with Plate Nos: ACA 551 MA and an ash-coloured Toyota Highlander with plate number: SMK 544, who attacked their convoy unprovoked.

“During the gun duel, the swift response by the Joint Security Team comprising the Police and AVG operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer Neni, Anaocha Local Government Area, made the armed men abandon their vehicle and fled the scene with bullet wounds, through a nearby bush.”

Ikenga added that operatives of the command also rescued two kidnap victims, who were later taken to the hospital.

He said while one of the victims was pronounced dead in the hospital, the second is responding to treatment.

“Preliminary information shows that the armed men abducted the victims on 27/11/2024 by 7 am along Ugwunwasike – Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of the State.

“The culprits shot the abductees when they observed that they were being trailed by the security operatives, abandoned them in the vehicle and fled the scene.”