The Delta State Police Command says it has successfully thwarted a planned kidnapping operation and recovered weapons following an intelligence-driven raid in the state.
According to the police, operatives attached to the Commissioner of Police Special Assignment Team carried out the operation on Saturday night after receiving credible information about suspected kidnappers operating around the Upper Agbarho axis.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the command said the suspects were traced to a bush path believed to be a criminal hideout.
“Acting on reliable intelligence, our operatives stormed the location at about 9:35 p.m. on January 11, 2026, where six suspected kidnappers were reportedly sighted,” Edafe stated.
He explained that the operation was led by an officer, Julius Robinson, in collaboration with local vigilantes in the area.
The police spokesperson said the suspects opened fire upon sighting the operatives, leading to a brief exchange of gunfire.
“The suspects engaged our officers, but the operatives responded decisively, forcing the criminals to flee into the bush with suspected gunshot injuries,” he said.
During a search of the area, the police recovered weapons allegedly abandoned by the fleeing suspects.
Items recovered, according to the command, include “one FNC rifle loaded with a live round and one pump-action gun with 32 live cartridges.”
SP Edafe added that all recovered exhibits have been secured, while a manhunt has been launched to track down and arrest the suspects who escaped.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Aina Adesola, praised the operatives for their professionalism and effective use of intelligence.
“The command remains committed to ensuring that criminal elements find no safe haven in Delta State,” Adesola said, warning that the police would continue to sustain pressure on kidnappers and other violent offenders.
He further assured residents that the command would intensify efforts to curb kidnapping, armed robbery, and related crimes across the state.
