By Onomiguren Agbamu
The Delta State Police Command has rescued a 60-year-old kidnap victim, arrested 10 suspects and recovered a locally made firearm and suspected illicit drugs in separate operations across the state.
The command, in a statement issued on Sunday by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, said the operations were carried out in Agbor, Abbi and Oghara on September 4.
In Agbor, operatives of the Agbor Division, acting on intelligence, rescued the kidnap victim at Alisime Village after engaging his abductors.
The police said the operation was conducted in collaboration with forest guards and local security personnel following an earlier report of the victim’s abduction.
According to the command, the kidnappers fled into the bush with suspected gunshot injuries, abandoning the victim. A mobile phone and an ATM card were recovered, while a manhunt for the fleeing suspects continued.
In a separate operation at about 9:30 p.m. the same day, operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit, Ozoro, raided a brothel in Abbi following intelligence that a suspect wanted over an alleged arson incident at Owhelogbo Community was hiding there.
Ten suspects, comprising seven females and three males, were arrested during the raid.
The police said Tramadol, Swinol, Canadian Loud and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp were also recovered.
The suspects are currently undergoing profiling, with the command saying those found culpable would be prosecuted.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Oghara Division, in collaboration with a civilian anti-cult group, recovered a locally made cut-to-size gun after responding to a reported scuffle involving about eight persons along Ibori Road.
The suspects reportedly fled on sighting the patrol team, with one of them, identified by the alias “Highest,” allegedly dropping the firearm while escaping.
The command said efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest the fleeing suspects.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel E. Erale, commended the operatives and other security personnel involved in the operations.
He ordered intensified efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects and assured residents that the command would sustain intelligence-led operations, raids of criminal hideouts and patrols across the state.
The commissioner also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information to the police to aid the prevention and detection of crime.
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