Delta police foil planned kidnap, recover rifles

From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri

The Delta State Police Command has recorded a significant breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to curb kidnapping, armed robbery, and other violent crimes across the state, following the recovery of firearms, ammunition, and other incriminating items.

Operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) of the Delta State Police Command have foiled an attempted kidnapping operation by suspected gunmen in Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

This followed information received by operatives of CP-SAT that about six suspected kidnappers were sighted on a bush path along the Upper Agbarho area.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, who confirmed this yesterday, said that, acting on the credible intelligence, on 11 January 2026, the operatives, led by ASP Julius Robinson, in collaboration with community vigilantes, carried out a well-coordinated covert operation and cordoned off the criminal hideout located in an uncompleted building within the area.

He said that, upon sighting the police operatives, the suspects opened fire on them, but they responded with superior firepower, forcing the hoodlums to flee the scene with varying degrees of injuries, abandoning their arms and other items.

He mentioned exhibits recovered from the hoodlums to include one FNC rifle loaded with one round of live ammunition and one pump-action gun with 32 rounds of live cartridges.

Edafe said that all exhibits have been recovered and taken into custody. A manhunt has since been launched to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

Commenting on the development, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Aina Adesola, commended the operatives of CP-SAT for their bravery and effective use of intelligence, reiterating that the Command remains resolute in denying criminal elements the space to operate and warning that Delta State will continue to be hostile to all forms of crime.