Delta Police bust forest-based kidnap gang, arrest five suspects and recover ₦5 million ransom.
Syndicate linked to multiple abductions across communities as probe into wider network continues.
Police operatives in Delta State have successfully dismantled a kidnapping syndicate operating out of the Ogwashi-Ukwu forest in Oshimili North Local Government Area, arresting five suspects and recovering ₦5 million believed to be part of a ransom payment.
The breakthrough came on July 12, 2025, when officers from the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad, led by CSP Godwin Osadolor, tracked the suspects to their hideout around 6:30 a.m.
At the scene, one of the suspects, identified as Sanusi Abdulahi, was apprehended with ₦5 million in cash, which authorities say was part of the money collected from a recent victim.
According to a statement issued by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, and made available to journalists in Warri on Tuesday, preliminary findings suggest the arrested suspects have been linked to a string of kidnapping incidents across several communities, including Ibusa, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Obulu-Okiti, Isele-Ukwu, and Isele-Asagba.
Edafe disclosed that Abdulahi cooperated with police and led them to other locations in Asaba, specifically around Second Deputy and Oko areas, where four additional members of the gang were apprehended.
“The suspects were allegedly responsible for a series of kidnappings at Ibusa, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Obulu-Okiti, Isele-Ukwu, Isele-Asagba and most recently, the kidnapping of a young lady at Ogwashi-Ukwu on the 9th of July, 2025,” the statement read.
He added that investigations are still ongoing to uncover more details and ensure justice is served.
