…The breakthrough, according to police sources, is part of the Command’s sustained crackdown on crime across the state.
DELTA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Operatives of the CP-Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) of the Delta State Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police Aina Adesola, have busted a suspected kidnap gang operating in a forest along the Iyede axis in Ughelli North Local Government Area.
The breakthrough, according to police sources, is part of the Command’s sustained crackdown on crime across the state.
Police spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed that three suspected kidnappers earlier handed over by the Area Commander in Ughelli were intensively interrogated by CP-SAT operatives after coordinated operations in Ughelli and nearby communities.
In a statement issued in Warri on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer identified the suspects as Usman Ayuba, 22, from Iyede Community; Ibrahim Abubakar, 22, from Akwa Ibom State; and Haruna Dahiru, alias Bodere, 23, also from Iyede Community. He said their confessions led to significant recoveries.
“On February 26, 2026, at about 8:10 p.m., the suspects guided operatives to a bush along the Iyede axis where a magazine loaded with 25 rounds of live ammunition was recovered. The following day, February 27, at about 3:45 p.m., they led the team to their hideout in the same area, resulting in the recovery of an AK-47 rifle,” the statement read.
The suspects were later identified by a female victim who was abducted on February 4, 2026, at Olu Avenue, Ughelli, and freed three days later after a ransom of ₦2 million was paid. They remain in police custody as investigations continue.
In a related operation on February 27, 2026, around 5:00 a.m., operatives of the Dragon Patrol Team stationed along the Abraka-Oghara axis arrested a 55-year-old man, Shuabu Adams, during a stop-and-search exercise near Western Delta University.
A search of his belongings led to the discovery of a locally fabricated cut-to-size firearm hidden in a pullover bag and loaded with two live cartridges. He was immediately taken into custody, and investigations are ongoing.
Commissioner of Police Aina Adesola praised the officers for their bravery, discipline, and professionalism. He stressed that Delta State would not be a refuge for kidnappers, arms traffickers, or drug dealers, and urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information, emphasizing the importance of community collaboration in tackling crime.
