Delta State Police Command has arrested four suspected kidnappers and recovered part of a N4 million ransom paid for the release of a female victim abducted from her residence.
The suspects were apprehended during a stop-and-search operation by operatives of the Dragon Patrol Team of the State Police Command.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Edafe Bright disclosed the arrest and recovery via a short video posted in his social media handle on Saturday.
According to SP Bright, the suspects had held the female victim in captivity for three nights and released her only after receiving a ransom of N4 million. During the operation that led to their arrest, officers recovered N3.5 million in cash, believed to be the balance of the ransom, and a locally fabricated wooden firearm used during the abduction.
In the video, SP Bright emphasized the importance of intelligence-led policing and community cooperation. “This wooden gun you see was part of what was used to kidnap the lady,” he stated, showing the makeshift weapon on camera. “They collected four million Naira before releasing her, and we intercepted them during a stop-and-search operation where this money was recovered.”
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SP Bright used the opportunity to highlight the importance of stop-and-search exercises and public collaboration. “When you see the police conducting stop-and-search, don’t think they are doing it without purpose. We act on intelligence and past experience,” he said.
He assured the public that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The victim, who appeared in the video, confirmed the gun was the same one used during her ordeal. “They came into my compound at night and attacked me with a long wooden stick like the ones used to flog cows. One of them told me he used to be a Boko Haram member,” she recounted.
She also sustained injuries on her forehead from the assault and positively identified four of the suspects during an identification parade conducted by the police. “There were about eight people displayed, and I picked four of them,” she stated.
The suspects, whose identities were not disclosed, admitted to receiving a portion of the ransom. They hailed from Taraba, Kano, and Yobe States, and were allegedly involved in cattle herding prior to the crime.
In a brief interrogation recorded in the video, one of the suspects confirmed that he participated in the abduction and received a share of the ransom. “Yes, I collect money, four million,” he admitted in Pidgin English. Another suspect, who struggled to communicate in English, confirmed his origin but denied direct involvement in carrying the weapon.
