From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
Operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad of the Delta State Police Command have shot dead six suspected kidnappers during a fierce gun duel in Ewu community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
The police, in a sting operation, also recovered the sum of N5 million in ransom after arresting five suspected kidnappers in Ogwashi-Uku in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.
In the July 12 operation, CSP Godwin Osadolor led operatives and trailed the suspected kidnappers terrorising the state to their hideout at Ogwashi-Uku, where a suspected kidnapper named Sanusi Abdulahi was arrested in possession of a ransom of five million naira (N5,000,000), which was part of the ransom they collected from one of their victims.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, who confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday, said that the Police Command, under the leadership of CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, made this significant achievement in its unwavering commitment to rid the state of criminal elements.
Edafe said that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were allegedly responsible for a series of kidnappings in Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Obulu-Okiti, Isele-Ukwu, Isele-Asagba, and most recently the kidnapping of a young lady in Ogwashi-Uku on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
He disclosed that the suspect led the operatives to their hideout at Second Deputy and Oko in Asaba, where four other members of his gang were also arrested. Investigation is ongoing.
The statement further reads, “On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at about 08:35 hrs, along the Patani-Ughelli Expressway, near the Unenurhei axis, operatives of the CP-Special Assignment Team in a sting operation raided the hideout of Solomon Danisco, aka ‘Picolo’, Nelson Jacob, Oruma Saturday, Olise Jude, Precious Urhobowin, and Whisky Rufus, aka ‘Asawana’, a native of Ewu community.
“During the operation, the suspects, heavily armed, engaged the operatives in a fierce gun duel, during which the suspects and their gang members sustained serious gunshot injuries.
“They were taken to the hospital, where six of them were confirmed dead, while two others are still receiving treatment. Exhibits recovered include four locally made guns and nineteen rounds of live cartridges,” the statement added.
