Abuja, NIGIERIA — In a dramatic turn of events, three suspected kidnappers and armed robbers were killed during a police operation in Agbarho on October 3, 2024, following their failed attempt to kidnap the wife of a Delta State lawmaker on September 2. The incident left two mobile policemen and a civilian driver dead, prompting a decisive response from the Delta State Police Command.
Disclosing this in a press statement on October 5, 2024, SP Edafe Bright, Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, said the botched kidnapping occurred at Okoloba Junction along Jakpa Road in Uvwie Local Government Area, where the perpetrators shot and killed two officers, identified as part of the mobile police unit, and the driver, Mr. David Imela.
In response to this brazen attack, Commissioner of Police Olufemi Abaniwonda ordered a comprehensive security deployment across Warri and its surroundings, implementing strategic roadblocks and surveillance to intercept the fleeing suspects.
Police operatives from the Ebrumede Division, under the leadership of DPO CSP Iwok Ndifereke, executed a well-coordinated operation by creating an artificial traffic hold-up at the DSC Roundabout. It was here that they spotted a vehicle matching the description of the suspects’ getaway car. Upon noticing the police presence, the armed assailants opened fire, initiating a fierce exchange of gunfire in a densely populated area. The hoodlums, realizing their precarious situation, abandoned their vehicle, which was subsequently recovered along with three AK-47 rifles.
Undeterred by the suspects’ escape, CP Abaniwonda directed CSP Ndifereke to intensify efforts to apprehend the criminals. Leveraging information obtained from the abandoned vehicle, police operatives launched a raid on October 3 at a suspected hideout in Agbarho. The ensuing gun battle was intense, with police forces overpowering the suspects. Three of the assailants sustained serious injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. An additional AK-47 rifle was recovered at the scene.
The search for remaining members of the gang is ongoing, with police forces maintaining heightened vigilance in the region.
Commissioner of Police Olufemi Abaniwonda praised the courage and professionalism exhibited by CSP Iwok Ndifereke and his team during the operation. He urged all officers within the command to adopt similar levels of dedication and bravery in the face of criminal challenges.
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