Suspected kidnappers have been arrested after they stormed the home of a pharmacist, kidnapped her and collected a ransom before releasing her.
One of the suspects, Augustine Ojanuware, was recently arrested for kidnapping and used as bait to catch other members of the gang.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were responsible for the kidnapping of a Pharmacist on 19th of June 2025 in her residence in Ughelli and were released after five days after payment of an undisclosed sum of money.
The gang also confessed to have abandoned her Lexus Jeep along the Isiokolo axis. They also confessed to attempting to kidnap another male victim whose Toyota Corolla they robbed after the failed attempt at Iyede community on the 28th of April, 2025.
The Command spokesman, Bright Edafe, explained: “One Augustine Ojanuware was arrested in the case of kidnapping reported at Isiokolo Police station. Following his arrest, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, instructed that the suspect should be transferred to operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team.
“Operatives of CP-SAT, upon further investigation and interrogation, the suspect confessed that he is a member of a kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate terrorising Ughelli Warri, Agbarho, Sapele and their environs.
“On 28th of June 2025, the suspect led operatives to Osubi Area of Warri and Ughelli town, where two additional suspects, viz Precious Urhobowin, 27, of Ewu Community in Ughelli North LGA of Delta State and one Julius Okpako, 32, a native of Oviri-Ogor community in Ughelli North LGA of Delta State, who is a member and owner of a POS machine used in collecting ransom, were arrested respectively, and another locally made gun with eight rounds of live cartridges was recovered from them.
Suspects are in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.
Similarly, the Command arrested suspected robbers popularly known as ‘one-chance’ and recovered their operational tricycle and 16 sophisticated mobile phones.
Edafe stated: “Sequel to a series of complaints received from members of the public in Ughelli related to a syndicate that specialises in robbing unsuspecting passengers who board commercial tricycles, the CP ordered an investigation.
“Acting on credible intelligence, on the 28th and 29th of June, 2025, operatives of CP – Special Assignment Team ( CP – SAT ) led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Julius Robinson, stormed Agbarho town and effected the arrest of 37-year-old Lucky Oghenerobor, a native of Olomoro Community in Isoko South LGA of Delta State, but resides at Agbarho town.
“He is the leader and owner of their operational tricycle. Other suspects were also arrested within Ughelli town, namely: Olamide Fagbaibe, 24, a native of Akure in Ondo State and Umeh Akpan, 37, a native of Eket in Akwa-Ibom State, both resident in Ughelli town. The suspects confessed that they usually operate in Ughelli, Warri, Sapele, and environs. Recovered from them are 16 different kinds of suspected stolen phones.”
The commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, reiterated that the command remains committed to the fight against crime and criminality and therefore calls on residents and the good people of Delta State to always volunteer information that will aid the Police in crime fighting.
Below are the commands’ dedicated control room phone numbers: 08036684974, 08114895600 and 08025666914.
