Olufemi Abaniwonda, Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command.
The operatives of Delta State Police Command said they have rescued five persons who were kidnapped in Ogwashi-Uku, the headquarters of Aniocha South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State.
Bright Edafe, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta State Command, who confirmed the rescue operation on Friday, said they were rescued from the forest around Ubulu-Uku axis of the State.
Edafe, a Superintended of Police (SP), said that the CP, Olufemi Abaniwonda, Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command’s policing strategies paid off as operatives of the Special Anti-kidnapping and Cyber-Crime squad engaged suspected kidnappers and rescued five kidnapped victims of Elyon Paradise Ministry, Ogwashi-Uku.
The Police image maker said: “Following the unfortunate kidnap incident that occurred on February 22, 2025, where five members of Elyon Paradise Ministry, Ogwashi-uku, were kidnapped while attending a night vigil service at the church. The Commissioner of Police Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda took decisive action by deploying tactical teams to Ogwashi-uku, which included relocating operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber-Crime squad to Ogwashi-uku, with a clear mandate to ensure that the kidnapped victims are rescued unhurt.”
Consequently, on February 25, 2025, Edafe said operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and cyber-crime Squad led by the Commander, CSP Labe Joseph embarked on a sting operation alongside members of Ubulu-Uku community vigilante, and other concerned indigenes of Ubulu-Uku community. He said they stormed Ubulu-Uku forest where the victims were being held hostage.
Items recovered from the fleeing kidnappers.
“The kidnappers, on sighting the police, engaged them in a fierce gun duel, but they could not withstand the superior firepower of the police, they took to their heels and abandoned the victims. All five of the kidnapped members of Elyon Paradise ministry were rescued unhurt and have since reunited with their families. Exhibits recovered from the scene include thirteen rounds of expended cartridges, a bag containing the sum of one million, three hundred thousand naira (N1,300,000), suspected to be ransom money. Manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing,” the police image maker said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda has commended the gallantry of the operatives and the resilience of good-spirited members of Ubulu-Uku community vigilantes and indigenes, which includes some human rights activists who took it upon themselves to follow the Police into the bush during the rescue operation.
