Vehicle used in Delta LG boss’ kidnap, recovered

From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri

Delta State Police Command has recovered the Range Rover believed to have been used in the kidnapping of Sapele Local Government Chairman, Bright Abeke.

The vehicle was abandoned at Ogorode Waterside, suggesting that the abductors may have escaped via the river after abducting the council boss last Friday.

Sources revealed that the vehicle was left at the waterside, hinting that the kidnappers possibly transported Abeke through the river after storming the Debro Fred Guest House on Owumi Road, Sapele, around 7:25 pm.

It was gathered that during the attack, the gunmen shot and injured Abeke’s security detail and a vigilante member identified as Ufuoma before abducting him.

Since the incident, the council chairman’s whereabouts have remained unknown, stirring an atmosphere of tension and panic in the area. In response, Delta State’s Commissioner of Police (CP) Yemi Oyeniyi personally led a detailed investigation and visited key locations linked to the incident to accelerate efforts to locate and rescue Hon. Abeke.

Delta state police public relations officer, SP Bright Edafe, stated that the CP’s visit was part of a strategic response to the kidnapping.

He disclosed that during the visit, the CP inspected the crime scene at Debro Fred Guest House and the Ogorode Waterside, where the vehicle was recovered, to gather intelligence and coordinate forensic investigations.

In addition, CP Oyeniyi visited the wife of the abducted council chairman, reassuring her and the family of the police’s commitment to securing his safe return.

The police chief also visited hospitals where some victims injured during the attack are receiving treatment.

SP Edafe emphasized that the police, working in collaboration with other security agencies, are deploying all available resources and credible intelligence to track down the kidnappers and rescue Abeke unharmed.

He called on residents of Sapele and the wider Delta community to stay alert and support efforts with timely, reliable information.

The Delta Police reaffirmed their dedication to protecting lives and property, assuring the public that decisive action is underway to bring the perpetrators to justice.