The Delta State Police Command says its operatives have rescued an abducted teenager and arrested a suspected kidnapper in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state.
It was also learnt that another police unit rounded up 27 suspects with a locally fabricated firearm and large quantities of drugs in a separate operation in Asaba.
The command, in a statement issued by its spokesman, SP Edafe Bright on Monday, said the rescue followed actionable intelligence about a man who was allegedly abducting young girls from Northern Nigeria and holding them against their will in Delta communities.
According to the police, the suspect, identified as Bila Halili, aged 30, from Kosso community in Sokoto State, was tracked to Oza Nogogo community by operatives of Agbor Division led by CSP Obekpa Michael, the divisional police officer. The raid, conducted in collaboration with local vigilantes, led to the discovery of a kidnapped victim in his custody.
The victim, identified as Rebecca Mathew, a young girl from Bodinga community in Washegu Local Government Area of Niger State, was said to have been abducted on September 11, 2025. However, her family had already reported her missing as far back as September 2, 2025, at a police station in Niger State, after she suddenly disappeared from her home.
Police sources disclosed that when Rebecca was rescued, she appeared to have been “hypnotised.” Upon questioning, she reportedly told operatives that Halili had lured her out of her family home, destroyed her SIM card to cut off communication, and held her captive.
Her mother, Mrs. Esther Moses, confirmed to the police that her daughter had been missing for more than a week, sparking fears that she had fallen victim to a trafficking or forced-marriage network.
In a separate incident, the Eagle Net Special Squad, a tactical unit of the Delta State Police Command, stormed Basket Market, along Asaba–Benin Road, Uromi Junction, on September 9, 2025, following what police described as “high-powered intelligence.”
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The operation, led by SP Yunusa Danyaya in collaboration with the Nigeria Hunters Forest Security Service (NHFSS), resulted in the arrest of 27 adult suspects.
During the raid, a locally fabricated cut-to-size firearm was recovered, along with what police described as “large quantities” of illicit drugs. Although authorities did not specify the type of substances, the market has long been flagged as a hotspot for hard drug sales and consumption, including cannabis, codeine syrup, and methamphetamine.
Police preliminary investigations suggest that the suspects had been using the market area as a safe haven to coordinate robbery operations, peddle narcotics, and recruit new members.
“They hibernate in this hideout, practicing and executing their criminal plans,” the police statement read.
The arrested suspects are currently being profiled, with police saying charges would be filed upon the conclusion of investigations.
Reacting to the twin operations, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, reiterated the importance of intelligence-driven policing and community partnership in the fight against insecurity.
“Security is everybody’s business. The police cannot win this battle alone without the cooperation of the people,” Abaniwonda said.
He urged residents of Delta State to provide credible information at all times to aid law enforcement agencies in combating crimes such as kidnapping, drug trafficking, and armed robbery, which continue to trouble communities across the state.
