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Delta Police Rescue Kidnap Victim, Arrest Eight Suspects, Recover Firearms
The Delta State Police Command has rescued a 23-year-old kidnap victim and arrested eight suspects in separate operations across the state, recovering three firearms, 26 live cartridges and substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
The operations were carried out between October 20 and 23, 2026, as part of efforts to tackle kidnapping, cultism and other criminal activities in the state.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, detailing the separate operations and recoveries.
According to the statement, operatives of the Owa-Oyibu Division, working with local volunteer groups, rescued the 23-year-old victim on October 20, a day after he was abducted at Owa-Alero.
The victim was reportedly seized in front of his residence on October 19 and dragged into a nearby bush by two suspected kidnappers.
Following a report by the victim’s brother, police operatives launched an intensive search of the surrounding bushes, leading to his rescue.
The police said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing abductors.
In a separate operation on October 23, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit raided a hotel in Abraka suspected of being used for drug-related activities.
Six suspected cultists were arrested during the raid, while a bag containing a firearm and substances suspected to be Indian hemp was recovered. Some individuals reportedly fled upon sighting the operatives.
The command said investigations were ongoing to establish the ownership and source of the firearm and identify other persons connected with the incident.
Similarly, on October 21, operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Sector III, Ubuluku, raided the residence of a 62-year-old suspect, Richard Nmorsi, in Ekuku-Agbor community, Ika South Local Government Area.
The search, conducted with a warrant, led to the recovery of a locally fabricated single-barrel firearm, 24 live cartridges and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.
Nmorsi was arrested, while the recovered items were taken into police custody for further investigation.
On October 23, the same unit raided the residence of another suspect, 56-year-old Amechi Osemeke, in the same community.
During a search conducted with a warrant, operatives recovered a serviceable double-barrel firearm and one live cartridge.
Osemeke was arrested, while investigations commenced to determine the circumstances surrounding his possession of the weapon.
Reacting to the operations, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Samuel Erale, said the command would sustain its efforts to dismantle criminal networks, recover illegally possessed firearms and protect residents across the state.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information to the police, assuring residents that the command would continue to prioritise their safety and security.
