Police Apprehend Six Suspected Kidnappers, Recover Over N2.3 Million Ransom

The Delta State Police Command has arrested six suspected kidnappers and recovered over N2.3 million in ransom money paid by their victims. Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwanda Olufemi, made the announcement on Thursday while parading 16 suspects arrested for various crimes across the state.

Olufemi highlighted the command’s recent successes under his leadership, emphasizing their plans to enhance police visibility and conduct raids on criminal hideouts and black spots throughout Delta’s 25 local government areas.

According to Olufemi, officers from the Ebrumede Division, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted a tricycle carrying six passengers during a routine patrol. Upon noticing the police, the suspects tried to flee, but officers pursued and arrested them. A search of the suspects revealed N2,344,000 in ransom money, along with several stolen phones. Further investigation showed that the phones belonged to kidnapping victims, and the recovered money was part of the ransom paid for their release.

In another operation, the anti-kidnapping squad conducted a sting operation in the Umunede forest area, successfully rescuing two individuals who had been kidnapped along the Asaba-Benin Expressway. The police acted on reliable information, and when the kidnappers realized they were being tracked, they abandoned their victims and fled.

Olufemi also expressed concern about the widespread use of hard drugs in the state. During a stop-and-search operation on the Asaba-Agbor Expressway, the command’s Dragon Patrol team apprehended a 39-year-old man, Jammed Abdulahi Shola, driving a green Toyota vehicle. A search of the vehicle uncovered 320 packs of codeine, 125 sachets of tramadol, and other large quantities of hard drugs.

The Commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating crime in Delta State, ensuring the safety and security of its residents.