News

By Prosper Mene

The Delta State Police Command has rescued a kidnapped woman from the clutches of armed assailants and dismantled a notorious drug trafficking ring, arresting two suspects and seizing a massive haul of illicit substances.

The back-to-back operations, carried out on October 12, underscore the command’s commitment to curbing violent crime and narcotics distribution in the region.The harrowing ordeal began in the early hours of Saturday in Ovian Aladja, a bustling community in Udu Local Government Area. According to police spokesperson SP Bright Edafe, armed men stormed the residence of a local businessman, whose identity remains protected for safety reasons while the family slept. The intruders unleashed a brutal assault, robbing the household of valuables before abducting the man’s wife, a mother of three.A distress call to the Ovian Aladja Divisional Police Headquarters prompted an immediate response from Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Friday Ekundayo and his team. “The DPO mobilized operatives without delay, launching a high-stakes pursuit that traced the kidnappers to a dense forest near the Iyara community,” Edafe detailed in a statement released Tuesday. Through relentless tracking and tactical pressure, the police forced the suspects to abandon their hostage and flee into the underbrush. The woman, found unharmed but shaken, was promptly reunited with her family. A vigorous manhunt is underway for the fleeing perpetrators, with authorities vowing no stone will be left unturned.

Delta State Commissioner of Police CP Olufemi Abaniwonda hailed the rescue as a testament to the force’s vigilance. “This operation highlights the bravery of our officers and the power of community intelligence,” he said. “Kidnapping remains a scourge on our society, but we will not relent in our pursuit of justice.”

In a parallel crackdown just hours later, the command’s elite Crack Squad turned its sights on a shadowy drug syndicate operating in Effurun GRA, the heart of Warri’s commercial district. Acting on credible tips, officers raided a suspicious Sienna vehicle at approximately 5 a.m., apprehending two long-time traffickers: Igwe Samson, 33, and Abalum Sunday, 39, both residents of the area.

The bust yielded a staggering trove of narcotics, including 450 bottles of codeine syrup, 188 bottles of bargadine, 208 sachets of 100mg tramadol, 100 sachets of 500mg tramadol, 300 sachets of swinol, 50 sachets of Rohypnol, and a hefty bag of suspected cannabis.

Investigators revealed that the duo had been peddling these substances for nearly two years, sourcing supplies from Onitsha in neighboring Anambra State and conducting nocturnal deliveries to dodge patrols. The vehicle itself was confirmed stolen, adding vehicle theft to their rap sheet.”Preliminary interrogations point to a broader network,” Edafe noted. “We are now tracing their suppliers and buyers to dismantle this operation at its roots.”

The arrests come amid rising concerns over drug abuse fueling other crimes, including cultism and robbery, in Delta’s urban centers.CP Abaniwonda praised the Crack Squad’s precision while issuing a stern warning to the youth: “Crime and drug peddling destroy lives and communities. We urge young people to channel their energies into positive pursuits. Let this be a lesson, the long arm of the law will catch up.”