The Delta State Police Command has arrested five suspected kidnappers during operations aimed at curbing criminal activities by armed gangs terrorizing residents in the state.
One of the suspects, Sanusi Abdullahi, was apprehended by operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, led by Officer Osadolor, through intelligence gathered by the team.
During the raid conducted at a hideout in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Oshimili North Local Government Area, the officers recovered ₦5 million from Abdullahi, suspected to be part of the ransom collected in a recent abduction.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, disclosed that the arrested suspect later led the operatives to additional hideouts in the Second Deputy and Oko areas of Asaba, where four other members of the gang were rounded up.
According to Edafe, preliminary investigations linked the suspects to a series of kidnappings across several communities, including Ibusa, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Obulu-Okiti, Issele-Uku, and Issele-Asagba.
In a related development, the Command’s Special Assignment Team engaged another group of suspected kidnappers in a fierce gun battle along the Patani-Ughelli Expressway, near the Unenurhie axis, on July 9.
The suspects, identified as Solomon Danisco a.k.a. “Picolo,” Nelson Jacob, Oruma Saturday, Olise Jude, Precious Urhobowin, and Whisky Rufus a.k.a. “Asawana,” among others—opened fire on the operatives during the encounter.
Eight of the suspects sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the hospital for treatment. However, six of them later died from their injuries and were pronounced dead by medical personnel, while the remaining two remain hospitalized under tight police surveillance.
Items recovered from the scene include four locally fabricated firearms and 19 live cartridges, suspected to be the weapons used by the gang in their operations.
Reacting to the successful operations, the Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, commended the officers for their professionalism and bravery, reaffirming the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Delta State.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police via the following hotlines: 08036684974, 08114895600, and 08025666914.
The CP assured the public that the police would not relent in their offensive against kidnapping and other violent crimes, adding that strategic operations are ongoing across identified flashpoints in the state.
