Police rescue kidnapped victim, neutralize two suspects, recover guns in Delta

The Delta State Police Command has rescued a kidnapped victim, neutralized two suspects, and recovered one cut-to-size locally made single barrel gun, one cartridge, and two expended cartridges on various operations in the state.

The Delta State Police command spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe in a statement in which a copy was sent to a Congress correspondent on Wednesday said one of the suspects who was injured died while he was being rushed to the hospital.

The statement reads: “On 18/01/2023 at about 1800hrs dragon patrol teams 19 and 20 while on stop and searches along Ughelli/Patani expressway by quest FM, they were informed that a man who was kidnapped earlier in the day, his vehicle was sighted at Ohio community. Consequently, the operatives swung into action and proceeded to the said area to rescue the victim and arrest the suspects.

“The policemen, with the active support of members of the community, trailed them to Patani road, where the hoodlums, on noticing that the police were closing in on them, drove recklessly and got involved in an accident. The police quickly intercepted the car while trying to flee the scene, arrested one of the suspects named Lucky Owofasa ‘m’ aged 28yrs of Ewu community Ughelli North LGA and a cut-to-size locally made gun, three (03) live cartridges were recovered from him while others escaped.

“The victim who was locked in the boot of the car was rescued unhurt and reunited with his family. A Manhunt for the other fleeing members of the gang is ongoing.

In a related development, the police spokesman said On 16/01/2023 at about 1700hrs, the DPO Owvian Aladja Police station CSP Aliyu Shaba received a distress call that a male corpse was found at the expressway close to Ujevwu junction in Udu LGA Acting on this information, he detailed detectives to the scene where the corpse later identified as Efe Peter ‘m’ 26yrs old a native of Egiegi community who was shot by some armed robbers and carted away his tricycle.

The Police explained: “The corpse was evacuated and taken to the mortuary. On the same day, a good-spirited individual reported at the station that the deceased was his tricycle rider, and the tricycle has a tracking device installed on it.

“It was on this information that the operatives again swung into action, trailed and located the tricycle to Warri/ Sapele road by Mercy City church where the robbers on sighting the police opened fire in a bid to escape and the police responded accordingly.

“In the ensuing gun duel, one of the suspects was neutralized, while the other suspect who sustained a serious gunshot injury was arrested.

According to the police, the suspect confessed to the murder of the deceased and revealed that his other gang members were one Kparobo ‘m’, Smally Macaiver ‘m’, and progress ‘m’ all residing in Ekpan.

It further added, “One cut-to-size locally made single barrel gun, one cartridge, and two expended cartridges were recovered while the injured suspect was taken to the hospital where he later died while receiving treatment. The effort is on to arrest the other gang members.”