Police rescue 11 kidnap victims in Delta

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have rescued alive, eleven kidnapped victims from their abductors in a bush at Idu roundabout along Ozoro/Ughelli expressway.

It was gathered the incident occurred at about 1936hpurs on Sunday as a Toyota Sienna with Reg. No. SMK 185 FU was conveying the passengers from Ozoro to Ughelli.

The kidnappers numbering about five in army camouflage uniform, armed with AK 47 rifles, suddenly came out of the bush at the Idu roundabout along Ozoro/Ughelli and opened fire on the Toyota Sienna.

The hoodlums consequently abducted the entire passengers.

However, following a distress call, the Divisional Police Officer, Oleh Division, SP Paul Oboware mobilized and led a combined team of police patrol teams, vigilante and hunters to the scene.

The security operatives consequently condoned off and combed the surrounding bushes relentlessly which made the area uncomfortable for the suspected Kidnappers who abandoned the eleven victims and fled.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, DSP Bright Edafe stated that 11 kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt from the scene, and the vehicle recovered.

The PPRO added that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing hoodlums.

In another development, operatives from the Ekpan Divisional Police Station on Monday at about 0700hrs, arrested a robbery suspect, named Ovie Maxwell (25), of Ekpan community and one locally-made gun with two live cartridges were recovered from him.

The arrest followed a tip-off that a young man (name withheld) of Refinery Road, Ekpan was being robbed by a gang of two suspected armed robbers while the victim and his younger brother were going to work.

The DPO Ekpan quickly detailed operatives to the area, and the team on getting to the scene engaged the robbers in a gun duel along the NPA expressway by Niger Cat Ekpan.

One of the robbers reportedly escaped while the other suspect, Ovie Maxwell, was arrested by the operatives.

The PPRO affirmed that the manhunt for the fleeing suspect is ongoing.

Also, on 14/11/2021, a complainant who went to wash his vehicle at a car wash around Conoil Filling station, Effurun has told the police that after washing his car, he and his brother while waiting for someone saw a group of four armed men who pounced on them, forced them into the vehicle and sped of adding that the hoodlums later put them in the boot of the vehicle.

The complainant further stated that on getting to a hold-up, they managed to open the boot and escaped.

The information got to the DPO Ebrumede Division, SP Bolarinwa Alabi, who immediately detailed and led operatives who went after the hoodlums.

It was stated that in a combined effort with men of Ekpan Police Station, they trailed the hoodlums to Jakpa road and the hoodlums on noticing that the police were trailing them, abandoned the vehicle in the busy area of Jakpa and fled into the crowd.

The PPRO explained that in order not to hurt innocent citizens, the team could not engage the hoodlums, but the Lexus car ES 350 gold colour with Reg. No. Abuja-YAB 262 KC was recovered while effort is on top gear intending to arrest the fleeing suspects.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police for Delta State Command, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, has directed all officers and men of the command to be on red alert and to ensure that their areas of responsibility are well policed and ensure that criminally minded persons are chased out of the state.

The CP also assured that patrol teams have been deployed to the highways to see that motorists travel without fear, and to ensure safety on the highways.

Courtesy (excluding headline) The PUNCH