The Delta State Police Command has rescued a 23-year-old kidnapping victim, arrested eight suspects in separate security operations and recovered three firearms, 26 live cartridges and substances suspected to be Indian hemp during intelligence-led operations across the state.
The operations, conducted between October 20 and 23, 2026, targeted suspected kidnappers, cult-related activities and the possession of firearms. The development was announced in a press release issued on Saturday, October 24, by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe.
The police said the operations took place in Owa-Alero, Abraka and Ekuku-Agbor, with officers working to rescue victims, recover suspected illegal weapons and identify individuals allegedly connected to criminal activities.
In the first operation, operatives of the Owa-Oyibu Division, working in collaboration with local volunteer groups, rescued a 23-year-old man who was reportedly abducted on October 19 at Owa-Alero.
According to the police, the victim was seized in front of his residence by two suspected kidnappers and dragged into a nearby bush.
Following a report lodged by the victim’s brother, police operatives began an intensive search of the surrounding bushes. The search resulted in the victim’s rescue on October 20.
The Command said efforts were ongoing to locate and arrest the two suspected abductors who reportedly fled. The police did not disclose further details about the victim’s identity or condition after the rescue.
In a separate operation on October 23, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit raided a hotel in Abraka following what the Command described as credible intelligence suggesting that the premises was being used as a hideout for drug-related activities.
The operation led to the arrest of six suspected cultists. Officers also recovered a bag containing a firearm and substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
The police said some individuals fled after sighting the operatives. Investigators are working to establish the ownership and source of the recovered firearm and identify other people who may have been connected with the incident.
The Command did not publicly identify the six arrested suspects in the statement or disclose the name of the hotel.
Another operation was carried out on October 21 by operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Sector III, Ubuluku, at Ekuku-Agbor Community in Ika South Local Government Area.
The police said the operation followed intelligence concerning a 62-year-old man identified as Richard Nmorsi. Officers raided his residence and conducted a search under a duly obtained warrant.
The search reportedly led to the recovery of a locally fabricated single-barrel firearm, 24 live cartridges and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.
Nmorsi was arrested, while the recovered items were taken into police custody for further investigation. The Command did not state whether the suspect had been charged in court.
On October 23, operatives of the same anti-kidnapping unit conducted another operation at Ekuku-Agbor, arresting a 56-year-old man identified as Amechi Osemeke.
According to the police, officers searched Osemeke’s residence under a duly obtained warrant and recovered a serviceable double-barrel firearm and one live cartridge.
The suspect was taken into custody as investigators began examining the circumstances surrounding his possession of the weapon.
The recoveries reported in the four operations included one firearm recovered during the Abraka raid, one locally fabricated single-barrel firearm and 24 live cartridges recovered from Nmorsi’s residence, and one double-barrel firearm with a live cartridge recovered from Osemeke’s residence.
The figures listed in the police statement amount to three firearms and 26 live cartridges. The Command also reported recovering substances suspected to be Indian hemp during the operations.
Reacting to the developments, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel E. Erale, psc, mnips, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks, recovering illegally possessed firearms and safeguarding communities across the state.
Erale urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist the police in preventing crime and apprehending suspects. He assured the public that the Command would continue efforts to protect lives and property.
The rescue of the 23-year-old victim represents a significant outcome of the operations, although the two suspected kidnappers remain at large, according to the police. The Command’s investigations are also expected to establish the origins of the recovered firearms and determine whether other individuals were involved in the reported incidents.
The developments come amid continuing security concerns over kidnapping, cult-related violence, armed robbery and the circulation of illegal firearms in parts of Nigeria. Police operations and community cooperation remain important elements in efforts to prevent attacks, rescue victims and bring alleged offenders before the courts.
The Delta State Police Command has encouraged members of the public to report credible information about suspicious activities and cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
All eight arrested individuals remain suspects, and the allegations against them must be established through investigation and due process. An arrest or recovery of an exhibit does not, on its own, constitute proof of guilt.
