"In the wake of the operation," the police statement explained, "two police officers sustained gunshot wounds and are currently responding to treatment while one locally-made pistol and some cartridges were recovered.
Nigerian kidnap kingpin, Linus Lebari aka Bobby and Devil, has been killed, say Nigerian police.
According to the police, Lebari, whose gang after collecting ransoms had killed at least 30 people in two Rivers local governments, Khana and Gokana, was shot and killed on Sunday night in a forest at Okwale.
The spokesman for the police, Nnamdi Omoni, said on Monday in a statement, "Men of the Bori Police Station led by the DPO, last night (Sunday) at about 2016hrs, in a coordinated operation trailed one Linus Lebari, male, 35 years, aka Bobby. He is also known as 'Devil'."
Lebari, who hailed from Tekon Sogho in Khana LGA of Rivers State, and his gang, according to the police were trailed to their hideout in a forest at Okwale in the boundary between Rivers and Abia states.
The statement added, "The hoodlums on noticing irregular movements around their camp, started shooting randomly but in a return fire from the police, one of them was fatally wounded, who was later identified to be Linus Lebari from Tekon Sogho, the leader of the kidnapping gang responsible for all the attacks on the Ogoni axis of the East/West Road and whose gang has killed over 30 people in the two LGAs of Khana and Gokana, after collecting ransom."
Two policemen were shot and wounded in the gun duel.
"In the wake of the operation," the police statement explained, "two police officers sustained gunshot wounds and are currently responding to treatment while one locally-made pistol and some cartridges were recovered.
"Efforts are on to arrest other gang members who fled with gunshot wounds.
"The Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, is again assuring the public that the onslaught against arms banditry in the State is raging and will not cease until all criminal elements in the state are history while appealing for cooperation, by sharing credible information that will lead to the arrest of these criminals. "