A former Chairman of Ikot
Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Usen Ekene, a police corporal, and two kidnappers have died in a security operation to rescue Ekene.
Ekene had been kidnapped by gunmen who demanded N50 million ransom from his family before he could be freed.
He was abducted three weeks ago at Nyara Enyin Ntonguno, a village in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.
A source said that when the villagers uncovered the kidnappers’ den, they informed the police, who mobilised to free Ekene.
The Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, DSP Etim Dickson, confirmed the incident in Uyo yesterday.
Dickson said that Ekene, a police corporal and two assailants died in the process.
He said that a member of the joint patrol team sustained serious injury.
Dickson said: “It is a big blow to the force.
“You see, these are some of the things we suffer during rescue operations.
“Rescuing people in a joint operation is not all that simple.
“The story is true.
“One of our police operatives died and an officer from the joint patrol team sustained serious injury in the process.
“Two corpses of the kidnappers had been picked up.
“The kidnappers had the boldness to fire at the police first.
“The police shot back at them, killed their two colleagues.
“It was unfortunate that we were unable to rescue Ekene.
“But what I am not sure is whether Ekene died in the process of gun battle.
“What I am told is that Ekene was an old man.
“He was kidnapped for three weeks.
“Keeping him in that forest, the man might have developed some symptoms, which might lead to his exhaustion.
“I understand from friends that they were demanding N50 million, which was too high.
“We got to know this through calls to some friends.
“The man died before he could be rushed to the hospital.”
Meanwhile, gunmen suspected to be armed robbers yesterday killed three policemen in Lagos.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Umar Manko, who confirmed the development in an interview newsmen said that the policemen were shot from behind while in a moving patrol vehicle.
Manko said that the suspects, three of whom were dressed in caftan, took advantage of a down pour to hit the policemen who were on legitimate duty around the Ijora-Olopa area of Lagos.
The commissioner said that five policemen were in the vehicle when the suspects, who were on motorcycle, attacked them.
Manko said that three of the policemen died on the spot while the fourth sustained injuries with the driver, escaping unhurt.
The commissioner, however, said that he could not immediately give details on how the incident happened because he was yet to be briefed.
He said the policemen were attached to the Area ‘C’ Police Command in Surulere, adding that investigation had commenced with a view to fishing out  the suspects.