The Delta State Police Command said it thwarted a kidnap operation along the Direct Labour Agency (DLA) Road in Asaba, the state capital, recovering an arsenal of weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, two pump-action guns, ammunition, and cartridges.
In a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), SP Bright Edafe, the swift action, led by the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, also saw the recovery of vehicles stolen during the incident.
According to Edafe, the operation unfolded on November 27, 2024, at approximately 9:45 p.m., following a distress call to the command’s control room.
Four armed men in a Toyota Camry 2.4, with registration number Enugu BLF 490 AA, had abducted a man and a woman (names withheld) and commandeered another vehicle belonging to a female victim.
Upon receiving the report, Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda issued a directive for the immediate rescue of the victims and apprehension of the suspects.
Acting on his orders, Commander of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, CSP Labe Joseph, mobilized his team for an intelligence-driven operation.
The police team traced the suspects to Ezenei, near the Asaba-Benin Expressway. Upon realizing they were being pursued, the suspects attempted to flee via Oko Market Road. However, the determined pursuit by the operatives forced them to abandon their vehicles and escape into a nearby bush under the cover of darkness, reportedly with gunshot injuries.
A thorough search of the suspects’ operational vehicle yielded significant findings, including: One AK-47 rifle with a defaced breach number, two pump-action guns, one magazine, eight rounds of AR live ammunition, 21 rounds of live cartridges, concealed in the vehicle’s engine compartment
The rescued vehicles, along with the recovered arms and ammunition, have been secured as exhibits, and investigations are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
Commissioner Abaniwonda reassured Delta State residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring their safety. “The Delta State Police Command will go all out to ensure these criminals are arrested and brought to justice. We remain steadfast in protecting lives and property,” he stated.
