Nigerian security forces stormed the hideout of the kidnappers of a Turkish national in oil-rich Rivers State and killed 14 of them in a shootout, police said yesterday.

“The hoodlums were shot dead during a gun battle with the security agents in their camp in Kaani community in Ogoni land,” state police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulam told AFP of the incident on Friday.

He said members of the gang who abducted a Turkish construction worker last month had opened fire upon seeing the security agents in their camp.

“The security operatives returned with a superior firepower and in the process shot dead six of the kidnappers instantly, while eight others with gunshot wounds died on the way to the hospital,” the police spokesman said.

He added that two other suspects were assisting the police in their investigation.

Ugwuegbulam said the Turkish national had earlier been released unhurt by his captors after they collected ransom money.

“The security team recovered some arms and ammunition as well as cash in the camp,” he said.

“Six AK-47 rifles, 444 rounds of ammunition, 17 magazines as well as the sum of 98,900 naira (€483) were found in the camp,” he said.

The police spokesman could not, however, say if the recovered money was part of the ransom.

He said the gang was also notorious for carrying out a wave of robberies and attacks on security agents in the state in recent months.

“The police and other security agents will intensify efforts to rid the state of undesirable elements, especially those harassing residents and kidnapping prominent people,” he said.