Police foil kidnap operation, rescue victim, recover guns, stolen vehicle
By Nosa Akenzua
Delta State Police Command on Sunday, in a press release signed by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, a copy made available to our correspondent, say that, “Police operatives attached to State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU), while on a special duty alongside Sapele Divisional patrol team, flagged down a Toyota Camry with reg. No. AFM 47 AP with three occupants.
“They refused to stop for a search, instead, they drove against traffic in a bid to escape along Okirigwe Road, Sapele, but were given a tireless chase by the Policemen until they got to a dead end. They jumped down from the vehicle and escaped into a crowded place. The Policemen professionally did not open fire, as the reason they were running had not been established and operatives did not want to hurt innocent persons in the process.
“When the team got to the abandoned vehicle, they saw a victim (name withheld), tied inside the car, who was kidnapped by the suspects. He was rescued unhurt and has since reunited with his family. Exhibits recovered include one locally-made short gun, one cutlass and their operational vehicle, which is suspected to have been stolen. Effort to arrest the fleeing suspects is ongoing.”
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The statement further disclosed that, Anti-crime patrol attached to ‘A’ Division Warri were on Stop and search duty at Iyara road when they intercepted a tricycle with three male occupants, adding that suspects surprisingly reversed the tricycle and sped off, the team upon suspicion went after them till they got to chevron Clinic road in Warri.
The hoodlums were said to have opened fire on the Policemen and the team equally responded, adding that in the process, one of the Suspects was maimed while others escaped. The injured suspect was taken to the hospital where he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment. One locally made cut-to-size gun with six live cartridges and two expanded cartridges were recovered. Serious manhunt for the other members of the gang was ongoing.
The Commissioner of Police, while appreciating the efforts of Deltans in the fight against crime and criminality, however, urged them to be patient, especially when they encounter policemen on the road performing stop and search duty. He noted that stop and search is one of the proactive ways in combating crime and nipping it at the bud. The CP assures all residents in the state that the Command remains committed in carrying out its core mandate, which is the protection of life and property.
