Operatives of the Delta State Police Command engaged in a f!erce g*n battle with suspected k!dnappers in Agbarho, located in the Ughelli North Local Government Area, resulting in the de*ths of three individuals.
According to a statement by the command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, released on Saturday, October 5, 2024, the suspects were linked to a v!olent incident in which two police officers and a driver were k!lled during an attempted k!dnapping of the wife of Delta State House of Assembly member Augustine Uroye at Okoloba Junction, Jakpa Road, Uvwie.
The police recovered four AK-47 rifles and the gang’s operational vehicle, registered as WWR-436-GZ.
The statement noted, “Following the failed kidnap attempt on September 2, 2024, at Okoloba Junction, Jakpa Road, Uvwie LGA, where the suspected k!dnappers m*rdered two mobile policemen and the driver, Mr. David Imela, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, ordered heightened security measures around Warri and the surrounding areas, including roadblocks and exit point surveillance.”
Police operatives from the Ebrumede division, led by DPO CSP Iwok Ndifereke, set up an artificial checkpoint at the DSC roundabout, where they spotted the vehicle matching the description. When the suspects noticed the traffic stop and the police presence, they opened fire, prompting a swift response from the officers in the busy area. The assailants abandoned their bullet-riddled vehicle and fled, sustaining g*nshot wounds in the process.
Unwilling to let the suspects escape, the CP directed the DPO Ebrumede to pursue their capture. On October 3, 2024, utilizing information from the abandoned vehicle, CSP Iwok Ndifereke led a team to the suspects’ hideout in Agbarho. During the ensuing gunfight, three suspects were seriously injured, while others managed to escape. Another AK-47 rifle was recovered, and the injured suspects were later pronounced dead at the hospital. A manhunt for the remaining gang members is currently underway.
CP Olufemi Abaniwonda praised the bravery of the DPO and his team during the operation and encouraged other officers to follow their example.