ABUJA - REMINISCENT of his Military days in the Navy, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd), had a gun battle with two suspected kidnappers and arrested them thereafter.

According to him, the incident took place Tuesday night at about 8:00 p.m. with location at Kogi State Polytechnic.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, yesterday, on his ordeal with the gunmen, Olubolade noted that the incident took place when he was on his way back to Abuja from Ekiti State, and on getting to the Kogi State Polytechnic, a Nissan Salon car, with registration number AL 838 LKJ came out of the bush into the road suddenly in nerve wrecking speed.

The minister said he became curious and looking closer, he noticed that there were two young men behind the vehicle, with a lady who appeared to be in a struggle with them sandwiched in between them, adding that he immediately ordered his convoy to chase the car and that in the process; the people in the car having realised that they were being chased, increased its speed and brushed another car off the road around Lokoja International Market but sped on while his men followed.

Speaking further, the Minister who explained that they ran into Oba Guest Inn in Lokoja, said sighting that his convoy was after them, the men in the car immediately opened fire on his team.

The former Bayelsa State Military governor who explained that the gun battle lasted over 30 minutes, said that two of the suspects were eventually arrested, while two others in the confusion that ensued while the gun battle lasted, scaled the fence with the lady, into a swampy area behind the inn and vanished, adding that those arrested were handed over to the Lokoja State police command, while further information from the command indicates that the number of arrests have been brought to five.

However, the kidnapped lady and the other members of the gang are still at large.

The minister stressed that the Guest Inn may be the den of the kidnappers as it was later discovered to be a brothel used by commercial sex workers for their activities.