The Edo State Police Command, in collaboration with local vigilantes and hunters, on Tuesday rescued one of the kidnapped Dangote Cement workers, simply identified as Omoba, from captivity.
The Guardian learned that the victim was rescued during a bush combing operation by a combined team of police, vigilantes, and hunters to rescue victims.
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers had on Monday ambushed and kidnapped an unspecified number of Dangote Cement workers in a Coaster bus along the Okpella road, Etsako East Local Government Council of Edo State.
The workers were reportedly returning to Okpella town from the factory after the day’s work when the gunmen attacked the bus and kidnapped the workers into the bush.
The state Command spokesperson, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday, said the police, upon receiving the news of the kidnapping of Dangote Cement workers, mobilised vigilantes and hunters into the forest for a vigorous bush combing operation to rescue the victims unhurt and to also arrest the kidnappers.
He said in the process, one Omoba, whose other name is unknown, was rescued with some bullet injuries on his back as he was shot by the hoodlums.
“He was immediately rushed to Halimatu Musa Hospital for medical attention,” he said.
Nwabuzor added that one other victim who was earlier shot at the point of the kidnapping and another identified as Victor Okon, were rushed to the same hospital for treatment.
The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police Edo, CP Funsho Adegboye, has given a marching order to the Okpella police, vigilantes, and hunters to intensify the bush combing exercise to ensure speedy rescue of the remaining victims and to effect the arrest of the kidnappers.
Nwabuzor said the commissioner of police gave the directive during his visit to Dangote Cement Factory Okpella and the Halimatu Musa Hospital, where the injured victims are receiving treatment.
