Delta Police Rescue Hostage, Nab Five Over Kidnapping and Cult Murder

​Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have rescued a 25-year-old woman from hostage and rounded up five suspects in a series of swift operations targeting kidnapping and cult-related violence across the state.

​The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed that the rescue operation occurred on October 3, 2026, after tactical teams stormed the Usiefrun community. Acting on intelligence from the Ovwian-Aladja Division, officers of the Otu-Jeremi Division freed the victim and apprehended the prime suspect, 29-year-old Brotugbare Francis Onome. A subsequent search of the premises led to the recovery of a fabricated Beretta pistol, a magazine, and two rounds of live ammunition.

​In a separate incident on October 1, the Abraka Division—working alongside members of the Civilian Anti-Cult Operatives—foiled a kidnapping plot targeting a local woman. Intelligence tracking led to the arrest of two suspects, 37-year-old Endurance Akpade and 43-year-old Edwin Friday Morgan, who are currently cooperating with investigators.

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​Meanwhile, the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit cracked down on cult-related homicide following a viral video showing suspected gang members celebrating a murder. Raiding a criminal hideout in Oghara on October 1, operatives arrested 23-year-old Ezekiel Sunday Izomor and 23-year-old Emmanuel Ogaganefe.

​Investigators linked the duo to the March 24, 2026, execution of a 25-year-old man named Godfrey at the Jesse Main Market in Ethiope West Local Government Area. Authorities recovered a battle axe, four cutlasses, and a hammer from the suspects. Preliminary inquiries indicate that a fugitive ringleader identified as Collins orchestrated the killing of a rival member to cement his ambition of leading the Aro Bagger Confraternity, allegedly conniving with the detained suspects and a close friend of the victim known as Richman, who remains at large.

​Reacting to the breakthroughs, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale, lauded the operatives for their prompt response and robust intelligence sharing. Erale reaffirmed the command’s uncompromising stance on intelligence-led policing, warning youths to steer clear of cultism and urging citizens to keep supplying timely information to law enforcement.