16 kidnappers killed in Nigeria

Abuja: At least 16 suspected kidnappers have been killed and 63 others arrested in Nigeria's River state, police said Thursday.

Twenty-nine suspects had been charged to the court, Police Commissioner in-charge of the state Joseph Mbu told a press conference in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Xinhua reported.

Mbu said that 16 cases of abduction were reported to the state police command, adding that nine victims out of the 16 cases were rescued, while two were killed by their abductors.

The commissioner said the command recovered 38 guns, including 10 AK 47 rifles, two pump action, 25 locally-made guns and 20 snatched vehicles.

He added that they also recovered eight magazines and several calibers of live ammunition, machetes, cutters, laptops and mobile phones from the suspects during the period.

Mbu said crime was on the decline in the state, and appealed to the public to furnish the police with useful information that could lead to the arrest of criminals.