Police arrest 7 kidnap suspects, rescue victims in Delta

The Police Command in Delta has apprehended seven kidnap suspects at Ubeji Community in Warri South Local Government of the state.

The Spokesman for the command, SP Bright Edafe, who disclosed this to newsmen on Friday in Warri, said that three male victims were rescued from the custody of the suspects.

Edafe said that the suspects were arrested on Thursday by the police operatives attached to the Ekpan Division, Uvwie Local Government of the state.

He said that the suspects were nabbed following a credible information received by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of the Ekpan Division, CSP Labe Joseph.

According to Edafe, the DPO received a distress report of a suspected case of kidnapping incident at Ubeji Community, behind the Ubeji Gas Plant.

“Acting on the report, the DPO deployed a team of detectives and patrol operatives to the scene.

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“On sighting the police teams, the suspected kidnappers fled into an abandoned poultry within the same community.

“The police team swiftly cordoned off the area, leading to the successful arrest of the seven suspects,” he said.

Edafe said that the rescued victims had since reunited with their families.

The police spokesman said that preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were abducted at a dredging site at Ubeji and ferried across the river.

He said that the suspects immediately contacted the families of the

abductees, and threatened to kill them, if certain demands were not met.

Edafe added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the other fleeing members of the gang.

In another operation the same day, a team of detectives from the Ekpan Division rescued three kidnapped victims and arrested seven suspects in Ubeji Community, near the Ubeji Gas Plant.

The Divisional Police Officer, CSP Labe Joseph, had deployed operatives to the scene after receiving a distress call about a kidnapping incident. On arrival, the suspects reportedly took cover inside an abandoned poultry house but were swiftly overpowered and arrested.

Those arrested include Felix Omone (33), Solomon Omone (29), Tony Eboye (34), Omone David (32), Jerry Omone (33), Godspower Omone (25), and Edewho Bomele (33) — all said to be residents of Ubeji.

The rescued victims, all men from Jeddo Community, were abducted from a dredging site and ferried across a river by the kidnappers, who had demanded ransom and threatened to kill them.

Preliminary findings suggest the suspects belong to a local kidnapping ring targeting workers in the Warri–Ubeji axis.

Commending the officers involved, CP Olufemi described the operations as “a clear message to criminal gangs that Delta State will not tolerate their activities.”

He assured residents that the command remains committed to dismantling kidnapping networks and illegal arms supply routes across the state.

NAN/Sahara Reporters