Delta Police Rescue Abducted Woman, Raid Criminal Hideouts, Recover Firearms

By MAY ETAGHERURE ATUZULO

POLICE operatives in Delta State have rescued a woman abducted by armed men in Sapele and arrested eight suspects during separate operations across the state.

The Delta State Police Command said the operations also led to the recovery of firearms and suspected illicit drugs.

Police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, disclosed the developments in a statement on Friday.

According to him, armed men abducted the woman on Wednesday evening along Eko Amukpe Road in Sapele.

The incident occurred at about 7:45 p.m. as the woman tried to drive into her residence. The attackers fired several shots into the air before forcing her into a nearby bush.

Following the distress report, the Divisional Police Officer in Sapele immediately deployed patrol and surveillance teams.

Officers recovered spent AK-47 ammunition shells at the scene. They then joined forces with local vigilantes to search the surrounding bushes.

The search continued through the night and into Thursday morning. As pressure mounted, the kidnappers abandoned the victim and fled.

Police eventually found the woman unharmed and reunited her with her family.

The Command said it has intensified efforts to identify and arrest the fleeing suspects.

Meanwhile, another operation in Abraka produced further arrests.

Edafe said operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit raided suspected criminal hideouts following an investigation into an attempted murder reported on Thursday.

The operation resulted in the arrest of eight suspects.

Police also recovered three locally made pistols, Tramadol and other suspected illicit drugs.

The suspects remain in custody as investigators work to determine their individual roles in the attempted murder and other criminal activities in the area.

Reacting to the operations, Delta State Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, commended the police operatives and local vigilantes involved.

Eralé reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to sustain intelligence-led operations across the state.

He also pledged continued action against kidnappers, cultists and other criminal elements threatening the safety of residents.