JTF gun down 14 suspected kidnappers in Rivers

                                     The Joint Task Force have killed 13 members of a gang suspected of abducting a Turkish man in an early morning raid on their hideout in oil-producing Rivers state, police said on Saturday.

A 20 million naira ($127,600) ransom was paid for the release of Bayram Karakus, who worked for the Rivigo Construction company, Rivers police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulam told a news agency.

 
He gave no details of what happened to the Turkish man.
“A combined team of operatives … stormed the militant camp of a notorious gang also responsible for kidnapping, armed robbery, killing of policemen and civilians in the recent past,” Ugwuegbulam said.

“In the ensuing gun battle six of the hoodlums were fatally wounded … seven of the wounded died on the way to hospital.”
Ugwuegbulam said the police recovered N98,900, the bags used to deliver the ransom, six AK 47 rifles and ammunition in the raid on Friday.

The raid was said to be carried out around 2:50 AM in Kaani community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.