ABUJA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police on Thursday said three suspected kidnappers were shot dead in a gunfight with security operatives in the country's northeastern state of Adamawa.

One kidnap victim was also rescued during the anti-kidnapping operation on Wednesday, on a mountain in the Hong local government area of the state, said Suleiman Nguroje, a spokesperson for the police in Adamawa, in a statement.

Many weapons were also recovered from the suspected kidnappers during the joint security operation, Nguroje said.

"The outcome of these successes followed up on strategy designed by the (police) command to check cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, cattle rustling, unlawful possession of firearms, among others," he said.

The suspected kidnappers opened fire upon sighting the security men, who included local hunters, said the police spokesperson.

Several of the gunmen, however, escaped with bullet wounds due to the firepower of the security operatives, the police statement added.