The Delta State Police Command has foiled an alleged attempt to kidnap a pastor and a retired school principal in Ughelli, arresting a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Bright Edafe, said operatives of the ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, acted on credible intelligence on July 31, 2026, to disrupt the planned abduction.
According to Edafe, the police received information that a 26-year-old man identified as Jeremiah (surname withheld) had allegedly attempted to recruit another person into a kidnapping gang to target the cleric and the retired principal.
“The intelligence was immediately acted upon, leading to the arrest of the suspect at his duty post in Ughelli,” he said.
A search conducted during the operation led to the recovery of a single-barrel gun and two live cartridges.
The police spokesperson added that the suspect was undergoing further investigation.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, praised the officers involved in the operation and said the command would continue to rely on intelligence-driven policing to tackle violent crimes.
He also appealed to residents to provide useful information that could assist security agencies in preventing criminal activities across the state.
