BY RITA OYIBOKA
The Delta State Police Command has apprehended four suspected kidnappers during a stop-and-search operation, recovering ₦3.5 million, part of a ransom collected after abducting a woman and holding her captive for three nights.
Spokesperson for the command, SP Bright Edafe, made this known via a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he explained that the suspects were caught while transporting the remaining share of the ₦4 million ransom money.
“In the course of a routine stop-and-search, we intercepted these suspects. On searching the vehicle, we recovered ₦3.5 million in cash. Further investigation revealed that this was ransom money collected from a kidnap victim, who had spent days in their custody,” Edafe said.
One of the weapons recovered was a makeshift wooden gun, which the victim identified as having been used during her abduction.
The victim, whose identity remains protected for security reasons, told the police that the attackers stormed her compound, beat her with a long wooden stick used for herding cattle, and dragged her away. She claimed the assailants were Fulani men and that one of them admitted to being a former Boko Haram member.
The arrested suspects reportedly hail from northern Nigeria, two from Taraba, one from Kano, and another from Yobe. One of them confessed during interrogation that they were caught at a checkpoint with the ransom cash and weapons.
Edafe urged the public to support police efforts with timely information. “The police can’t work in isolation. We need your trust. The earlier we take out these criminal elements who prey on hardworking citizens, the better for society,” he said.
“This is why stop-and-search operations must be taken seriously. We’re not acting blindly, every action is backed by intelligence and experience.”
