By Sunday Apah
The police have arrested five suspected kidnappers and recovered a pistol, a locally made gun, live ammunition, and cartridges in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.
In a statement issued on Friday, 17 April 2026, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, stated that the kidnapping incident occurred on 1 February 2026 at about 2000hrs along the Warri–Sapele Road by Adeje Community.
According to the statement, “The incident was reported on 4 February 2026 at about 1700hrs, following the abduction of a group of travellers who were ambushed by armed hoodlums.
“The assailants, armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, forcefully took the victims into the bush.
“Two of the victims managed to escape and promptly raised the alarm, triggering a coordinated response 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 subsequently rescued unhurt.
“Acting swiftly on credible intelligence, operatives of the Orerokpe Division arrested one Dafiaga Timothy (male) on the same day, 4 February 2026, while attempting to withdraw money using one of the victim’s ATM cards at a POS point in Adeje Community.
“The DPO of Orerokpe Division was directed to transfer the case to the CP-Special Assignment Team for discreet and further investigation.
“Following sustained interrogation and technically generated intelligence, on 31 March 2026 at about 1600hrs, operatives arrested additional members of the syndicate, including Samuel Omonigho (male), 31, in Kokori Community, Ethiope East Local Government Area, and Henry Christmas (male), 22, in Adeje Community, Okpe Local Government Area.
“A further breakthrough was recorded on 5 April 2026 at about 1445hrs, when operatives arrested two more members of the syndicate, namely Ovo Wilson Junior (male), also known as ‘Sheboy’, 24, in Mereje Community, Okpe Local Government Area, and Emakpo Ubiaro Abel (male), 36, in Ughwagba Community, Okpe Local Government Area.
“Investigation revealed that Emakpo Ubiaro Abel is a tricycle rider who conveys the gang members to and from their operational locations.
“Furthermore, on 13 April 2026 at about 0535hrs, operatives of the CP-Special Assignment Team, acting on information obtained during interrogation, carried out a follow-up operation at a hideout located at Oka Junction, Agbarho.
“A thorough search led to the recovery of one fabricated Beretta pistol loaded with three rounds of live ammunition and one locally made gun with seven live cartridges.
“The syndicate has been linked to a series of kidnapping and armed robbery incidents across Warri, Sapele, Agbarho, Ughelli, and adjoining areas.
“The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, psc, acipm, mnips, commended the synergy between security agencies and the vigilance of community members, which contributed to the success of the operations,” the statement added.
