Delta police chief orders rescue of abducted local chairman

From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri

The Delta State Police Command, led by CP Yemi Oyeniyi, has conducted an on-the-spot visit to Sapele in Sapele Local Government Area following the abduction of the council chairman, Hon. Bright Abeke, by unknown gunmen on Friday night.

Confirming this in a brief telephone conversation with our correspondent, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, said that the CP personally visited the scene of the crime on Saturday and has ordered deployment to ensure the council chairman is rescued unhurt.

“The CP was early today, Saturday, in Sapele, where he visited the scene of the crime and to do the necessary deployment to ensure the council Chairman is rescued unhurt,” Edafe said.

In an earlier statement, Edafe said that the CP has taken a series of proactive security measures following a comprehensive review of the security situation across the state.

He said that the new directives are aimed at strengthening public safety, preventing crime, and ensuring a peaceful environment for all residents, in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu.

The IGP had mandated all commands to intensify visibility policing, adopt intelligence-led operations, and reinforce community partnership as a strategy for effective crime prevention and control.

He said that, in compliance with the directive, the command has commenced massive deployment of personnel across all nine Area Commands, divisions, and other critical points within the state.

The new security measures include intensified stop-and-search operations along major highways, entry and exit routes, and identified flashpoints, as well as sustained day and night visibility patrols and coordinated operations with sister security agencies.

The statement reads, “in response to emerging security challenges, the Command has streamlined its operational priorities to ensure a focused and result-driven approach, encompassing the protection of lives and property, maintenance of law and order, prevention of unlawful gatherings, disruption of bandit enclaves and criminal networks, strengthened community engagement for intelligence gathering, and sustained intelligence-led raids on black spots and criminal hideouts.

The Command is intensifying targeted operations to dismantle kidnapping and herdsmen-related criminal activities in key flashpoints, including Owa-Oyibu, the Ogwashi-Uku power line axis, Okpanam, Ashaka, Uwherhu in Ughelli North, Umunede, Igbodo, Idumusa, Ute, and other border communities across the state, to dislodge criminal elements, restore public confidence, and secure all entry and exit corridors within Delta State.

The Commissioner of Police has also directed all Area Commanders to immediately convene stakeholders’ town hall meetings within their respective areas of responsibility as part of efforts to strengthen community engagement, enhance intelligence gathering, and foster collaborative approaches to addressing security challenges across the state.”