The Delta State Police Command has rescued a 23-year-old kidnap victim and arrested eight suspected armed robbers and cultists in separate operations across the state.
The operations also led to the recovery of three firearms, 26 live cartridges and substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, disclosed the developments in a statement, detailing the operations in Owa-Alero, Abraka and Ekuku-Agbor.
According to the statement, the 23-year-old victim was kidnapped in front of his residence at Owa-Alero on October 19 and dragged into a nearby bush.
Following a report by the victim’s brother, police operatives, working with local volunteers, launched a search operation that resulted in his rescue the following day.
The police said efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing kidnappers and bring them to justice.
In a separate operation in Abraka, police raided a hotel suspected of serving as a hideout for criminals and arrested six suspected cultists.
A firearm and substances suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered during the operation, while some individuals reportedly escaped.
Meanwhile, two other suspects, aged 62 and 56, were arrested in separate operations at Ekuku-Agbor in Ika South Local Government Area.
The command said police operatives searched their residences under valid warrants and recovered a locally fabricated single-barrel firearm, a double-barrel firearm, 25 live cartridges and substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
The police said investigations were ongoing to establish the source of the recovered weapons and identify other persons allegedly connected with the crimes.
The command reiterated its commitment to tackling kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other criminal activities across Delta State.
