Two kidnap victims of Usiefurun community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State have been rescued by the police.
The victims, Ovigwe Dagagba, 31 years and Obinna Nwanko, aged 29 were abducted on Monday, April 24, 2023,
by a gang of four suspected kidnappers operating on a tricycle who thereafter conveyed them in a Toyota Corolla car belonging to one of the victims from Usiefurun roundabout and headed towards Udu Local Government Area of the state.
A team of police operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Owvian/Aladja, CSP Aliyu Shaba, trailed and intercepted the kidnappers at ECN junction along Agbarho/Ughelli road.
The spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe in a statement on Tuesday said, “The police operatives engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel that forced the kidnappers to abandon the car, the kidnapped victims and escaped into the bush with various degree of bullet injuries. The victims were rescued unhurt and have been reunited with their families.
“Upon search of the vehicle, twenty-six (26) pieces of assorted android phones, one cut-to-size locally made single barrel gun, thirty-eight (38) rounds of live cartridges, two expended cartridges, two Monie point POS machines, four power banks, two empty female handbags were recovered. The tricycle with reg no. KPE 73 QT used by the suspected kidnappers was also recovered.
“While the manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing, the deputy commissioner of police in-charge Operations DCP Johnson Adenola has directed officers and men of the Command to sustain this tempo in the fight against crime and criminality as well as urged members of the public to report any suspicious person or movement around them.
“The following dedicated phone lines are available to the public to reach the command, as a quick response contact for any complaint or distress situation during the election exercise: CONTROL ROOM NUMBERS: 08036684974, 08125958005 and 09053872287.”