Police authority in Edo State, South-South Nigeria said on Thursday that it has rescued some Chinese nationals earlier kidnapped by yet to be identified gunmen late August.
According to the new Edo State Police Commissioner, Chris Ezike, the rescuing effort came shortly after the command received a distress call from some residents.
“The police promptly responded to a distress call by some residents and rescued the Chinese nationals,” he told our Correspondent.
He, however, declined further details of the operation, saying efforts are ongoing to apprehend the kidnappers.
It was not certain if any ransom in form of money was paid for their freedom, as kidnappers in the region often request for ransom before they release their victims.
If arrested, charged and found guilty, the kidnappers will face a death penalty.
The Edo State government in October 2013 enacted a law that proscribes kidnapping, putting a death penalty on kidnappers.
The law, an amendment of the Edo State kidnapping Law also prescribes that any premises used by kidnappers would be demolished.
After signing the bill into law, the Governor of the State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said, “As reluctant as one would want to be in matters of life and death, I am convinced that the overriding public interest now dictates that we invoke the maximum penalty available in our law to all those involved in the act of kidnapping. Anyone sentenced and convicted, I will sign the death warrant”.
