Police rescue 9 kidnapped Lagos PDP members

The Police Command in Ogun have rescued nine out of the 10 members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos kidnapped by gunmen last Thursday on their way back to Lagos from Ibadan.

Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Mr Abiodun Alamutu, confirmed the release at a news briefing in Abeokuta on Monday.

Alamutu named Mr Phillip Aivoji, Chairman of PDP in Lagos among those freed, regretting, however, that one of the abductees, Bilikisu Kazeem, lost his life during exchange of gunfire between police and the hoodlums.

Alamutu said that the abductees were freed early on Jan. 29 after four days in captivity.

Our correspondent recalled that Aivoji and nine others were kidnapped on their way back from Ibadan around Ogere axis of Lagos-Ibadan expressway after attending a PDP meeting in Ibadan.

The police commissioner said that he was not aware of any ransom being paid to the hoodlums before the release of the PDP chieftains.

The police had, on Saturday, claimed in a statement issued on behalf of the command by Mr Omolola Odutola, the Public Relations Officer, that its operatives were making concerted efforts to free the kidnapped PDP officials unhurt.

Alamutu commiserated with the family of the 37-year-old Bilikisu Kazeem who died as a result of the bullets wound he sustained during the incident.