Odita Sunday 
Delta Police Rescue Kidnap Victim, Arrest Five Suspects, Recover Fabricated Pistol
By Odita Sunday
The Delta State Police Command has rescued a 25-year-old woman allegedly held hostage in Usiefrun Community, while arresting five suspects in separate operations linked to kidnapping and cult-related crimes.
The police also recovered a fabricated Beretta pistol, one magazine, two rounds of live ammunition, a battle axe, four cutlasses and a hammer during the operations.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the operations were carried out by operatives of the Otu-Jeremi and Abraka divisions as well as the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).
Edafe said the Otu-Jeremi Divisional Police Officer, acting on credible intelligence from the DPO of Ovwian-Aladja Division, mobilised operatives to Usiefrun Community at about 8:30am on October 3, where a 25-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted and held hostage.
According to him, the victim was rescued, while the main suspect, identified as 29-year-old Brotugbare Francis Onome, was arrested.
He said a search of the premises led to the recovery of a fabricated Beretta pistol, one magazine and two rounds of live ammunition, adding that investigation was ongoing.
In another operation, Edafe said operatives of the VCRU, acting on credible intelligence obtained from a viral video allegedly showing suspected cultists celebrating the murder of another cult member, stormed a suspected criminal hideout in Oghara on October 1.
He said the operation led to the arrest of 23-year-old Ezekiel Sunday Izomor and 23-year-old Emmanuel Ogaganefe in connection with the cult-related killing of a 25-year-old man identified as Godfrey.
According to the PPRO, the victim was allegedly killed at Jesse Main Market in Ethiope West Local Government Area on March 24, 2026.
Edafe said operatives recovered one battle axe, four cutlasses and one hammer during the operation.
He said preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects still at large, identified as Collins, was allegedly seeking to become the leader of the Aro Bagger confraternity and allegedly needed to kill a rival cult member to achieve the objective.
Edafe further said Collins allegedly connived with the two arrested suspects and one Richman, described as a close friend of the deceased.
He said Richman and Collins remained at large, adding that efforts were ongoing to arrest them, while the two arrested suspects were assisting the police with the investigation.
In a separate development, Edafe said two suspects were arrested over an alleged plot to kidnap a woman in Abraka.
He said the Abraka Division received a report of the alleged conspiracy at about 5:30pm on October 1, following which operatives, working with members of civilian anti-cult operatives, apprehended 37-year-old Endurance Akpade and 43-year-old Edwin Friday Morgan.
According to him, the suspects were subsequently taken into police custody and were assisting with the ongoing investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel E. Erale, commended the operatives for what he described as their swift response and effective intelligence sharing.
Erale reiterated the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and the fight against kidnapping, cultism and other violent crimes, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to the police.
The CP also admonished youths to stay away from cultism, noting that “cultism is a catalyst that will destroy their future.”
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