Juliana Francis
The Delta State Police said it has rescued two kidnapped victims, and recovered 26 Android phones, guns, a Point of Sale Machine (POS) and a vehicle.
The State’s Police spokesman, Bright Edafe said that on the 24th of April 2023, at about 2:am, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Owvian Aladja, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Aliyu Shaba, received a distress call that two persons, Ovigwe Dagagba, 31 and Obinna Nwanko, 29, both of Usiefurun community, Ughelli south LGA, were intercepted and kidnapped by a gang of four suspected kidnappers operating on a tricycle.
They were kidnapped and conveyed in a Toyota Corolla car belonging to one of the victims from Usiefurun roundabout and headed towards Udu Local Government Area.
Edafe said: “The DPO CSP Aliyu Shaba, on receipt of this information, swiftly mobilised and led a team of police operatives, trailed and intercepted the kidnappers at ECN junction along Agbarho/Ughelli Road.
“The police operatives engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel that forced the kidnappers to abandon the car, the kidnapped victims, and escaped into the bush with various degrees of bullet injuries. The victims were rescued unhurt and have been reunited with their families.
“Upon search of the vehicle, 26 pieces of assorted android phones, one cut-to-size locally made single barrel gun, 38 rounds of live cartridges, two expended cartridges, two POS machines, four power banks, two empty female handbags were recovered. The tricycle with registration number, KPE 73 QT used by the suspected kidnappers was also recovered.
“While the manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge Operations DCP Johnson Adenola has directed officers and men of the Command to sustain this tempo in the fight against crime and criminality and urges members of the public to report any suspicious person or movement around them.”
