Police confirm kidnap of 3 inspectors, missing AK47 rifles in Delta

By Hannah Nathan, Warri

The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of three policemen and missing of three service rafles in the state.

Congress earlier reported that suspected herdsmen in the Ohoror community of the East-West Road in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State had kidnapped three mobile policemen attached to PMF 51, in Oghara community.

Speaking to our correspondent by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the incident, adding that rescue operations were ongoing and urged the public to be calm.

A source told our reporter that the kidnappers also escaped with the service AK47 rifles with ammunition of the policemen who were paraded into the bush.

The source said that the kidnapped policemen were part of a team of six mobile policemen drafted to the Ughelli-Patani Road nipping point.

The source further narrated that the policemen were abducted while attending to a distress call.

“While they were at the tipping point, a young man simply identified as Moses Progress, 22, from the Uwheru community came to inform the team that he was robbed of his OPPO phone and money by suspected herdsmen under a nearby bridge close to their point while performing rituals to the god of the river.

“Consequently, the leader of the patrol team reportedly detailed the three inspectors to follow the complainant to the scene, armed with their AK-47 rifles.

“While waiting for the return of the three inspectors, the team later saw the complainant on a speeding motorcycle without our men,” the source said.

“He was stopped to inquire about the three mobile police officers who went with him. It was at that juncture that he told them that, when they got to the scene, they were attacked at the bush by six herdsmen and he had to escape while the policemen ran in different directions.

“When he told our men that he did not know the whereabouts of the police officers who went with him, there was no option than to arrest him after they called for backup,”- the source stated.