Police Bust Kidnap Syndicate In Delta, Rescue Victims, Arrest Five Suspects

The Delta State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against kidnapping, rescuing abducted victims and arresting five suspected members of a notorious criminal syndicate operating across parts of the state.

The police spokesman in the state, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statament on Friday.

The operation followed a kidnapping incident that occurred on February 1, 2026, along the Warri–Sapele Road near Adeje Community, where armed hoodlums ambushed a group of travellers and whisked them into the bush.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, the incident was formally reported on February 4 after two of the victims escaped and raised the alarm. Their report triggered a coordinated rescue effort involving the police, the Nigerian Army, and local vigilantes.
Sustained pressure from the joint security team forced the kidnappers to abandon the remaining victims, who were later rescued unhurt.

Police operatives swiftly arrested one suspect, identified as Dafiaga Timothy, on the same day while attempting to withdraw money from a victim’s account using a stolen ATM card at a POS point in Adeje Community. The case was subsequently transferred to the CP-Special Assignment Team for further investigation.

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Further operations led to the arrest of additional suspects, including Samuel Omonigho, 31, in Kokori Community, and Henry Christmas, 22, in Adeje Community on March 31. On April 5, two more suspects—Ovo Wilson Junior, also known as “Sheboy,” 24, and Emakpo Ubiaro Abel, 36—were apprehended in Okpe communities. Investigations revealed that Abel worked as a tricycle rider, transporting gang members to and from their operation sites.

In a follow-up operation on April 13, police operatives raided a hideout at Oka Junction in Agbarho, where they recovered a fabricated Beretta pistol loaded with three rounds of live ammunition and a locally made gun with seven live cartridges.

The police said the syndicate has been linked to a series of kidnapping and armed robbery incidents across Warri, Sapele, Agbarho, Ughelli, and surrounding areas.

Commending the success of the operation, the Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, praised the collaboration among security agencies and the vigilance of residents, noting that such synergy remains crucial in tackling crime in the state.