The Delta State Police Command has rescued a kidnapped woman, arrested 54 suspected cultists, and recovered a locally made firearm, ammunition, and suspected illicit drugs in a series of operations carried out across the state over the past week.
Police operatives on September 23 rescued a 48-year-old woman who had been abducted and held in Ovade Forest, following a distress call to the Oghara Divisional Police Officer (DPO).
The DPO led a joint team comprising the division’s operatives, the Quick Response Squad, vigilantes, and local hunters into the forest to track down the victim’s captors. During the rescue operation, about four suspected kidnappers opened fire on the team but were repelled, fleeing the scene and abandoning their victim, who was recovered unhurt.
Operatives pursued the fleeing suspects, during which one unidentified suspect was found dead and another, identified as Abubakhar Sani, was arrested with gunshot wounds. Both men were later pronounced dead at the hospital. Items recovered from the scene included a dagger, a National Identification Number (NIN) slip, an OPay Verve card, a Tecno mobile phone, and other personal effects.
Police said the rescued woman is in stable condition and undergoing debriefing, while a manhunt continues for the remaining suspects still at large.
In a separate operation on September 19, police operatives attached to the Abraka Division, working with the State Intelligence Department (SID) and local vigilantes, raided a suspected cult initiation ceremony in Eku, arresting 30 suspects 29 men and one woman.
Investigators said preliminary findings suggested the gathering was linked to the initiation of new members into the Black Axe Confraternity. The suspects were handed over to the Command’s Anti-Cult Unit (CACU), Sector 2, Ozoro, for further questioning.
Follow-up intelligence led CACU operatives to Obiaruku the following day, September 20, where an additional 20 suspects — 15 men and five women — were arrested over alleged cult-related activities. Police say investigations are ongoing to determine each suspect’s level of involvement.
Also on September 20, police arrested four men in Ubulu-Uku in connection with a suspected cult-related killing. The suspects, Okwudili Ozah, 34; Chekwube Onwuka, 18; Onyebe Emmanuel, 19; and Ozoremenem Izuchukwu, 21, are believed to be members of the Supreme Vikings and Eiye confraternities.
They were handed over to the CACU office in Asaba for further investigation.
Recovered from the operation were one locally made single-barrel cut-to-size gun, one live cartridge, and a quantity of substance suspected to be cannabis. The victim of the killing was taken to a medical facility, where he was confirmed dead. His body has been deposited at the mortuary for an autopsy. Police say they are working to establish the full circumstances of the killing.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel E. Erale, commended the operatives and other security stakeholders involved in the operations.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism, and other violent crimes, warning criminal elements to desist or face prosecution.
The Commissioner assured Delta State residents that the Command would continue efforts to dismantle criminal networks, recover illegally held weapons, and bring perpetrators of violent crimes to justice.
