Police rescue two kidnap victims in Delta

The police in Delta State, South-south Nigeria, said they have rescued two kidnap victims in the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

How they were rescued

Mr Edafe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the victims were rescued, at about 11 a.m. on Thursday, when police operatives raided the suspects’ hideout inside Oghara-Ugbenu Forest in the state.

The police spokesperson explained that the operation was in response to the receipt of a distress call by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Oghara Divisional Police Headquarters, Olasunkanmi Musiliu, that the two victims had been abducted and taken into the forest in the area.

He said Mr Musiliu, a chief superintendent of police, consequently led the police operatives from the Anti-Cult Unit of the State Intelligence Bureau, alongside local vigilante groups, into the forest.

“The operatives relentlessly combed the forest which forced the kidnappers to abandon the victims and escape. The operatives rescued the two kidnapped victims unhurt and have since reunited (them) with their families,” he said.

Four live cartridges, a TECNO Spark mobile phone, one ATM card, and three SIM cards of different telecommunication networks were recovered from the suspects, according to the police.

“Regardless of the victim’s rescue, efforts are on top gear to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspected kidnappers,” the police spokesperson added.

Arrest of crime suspects

Mr Edafe said that in a separate operation at about 9 a.m. on the same day, police operatives from Eagle Net Special Squad raided a criminal hideout at Isieke Quarters, Asaba, and arrested an armed robbery suspect, Chimuanya Onwusonye.

The police spokesperson said the raid followed the directives issued to the operatives by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Wale Abass, that they should be on alert and adopt more visibility patrol as well as proactive policing strategy within the state.

He said Mr Onwusonye, the 30-year-old suspect who resides in Onitsha, Anambra State was searched on the spot and a Beretta pistol, with four rounds of live ammunition, was recovered from him.

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“The suspect was immediately taken into custody, and investigation is ongoing,” Mr Edafe stated.

The police spokesperson said police operatives from Safe Delta Squad, at about 7:35 p.m. on Friday, also arrested a suspect who specialised in vandalising cables.

The suspect, Michael Danjuma, 23, is a native of Latang in Plateau State, North-central Nigeria, but resides in Hausa Market by Custom Okpanam in Delta State.

Mr Edafe said some exhibits were recovered from his residence after the operatives conducted a search.

One Beretta pistol, one magazine, some vandalised cables, two ATM cards, and one steel pair of scissors were among the items recovered from the suspect’s residence, the police said.

“The suspect is in custody and will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.”

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Abas, has vowed that the police will go after criminals in the state, Mr Edafe said.

Mr Abass said, given that there is usually an upsurge in crime rates towards the end of the year, residents of the state should be alert. He reassured that the police were dedicated to crime-fighting in the state.

The police commissioner appealed to the residents to volunteer “useful information” to the police about criminals.