The Delta State Police Command has rescued 11 persons from their abductors in the Ekpan area of the state.
The spokesman of the Delta State Police Command, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Tuesday.
So also did operatives of the Command recover a stolen vehicle and a gun in an encounter with armed robbers.
According to Edafe, at about 7am on Monday, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ekpan Police Station got information that a young man was being robbed on Refinery Road, Ekpan by a two-man robbery gang.
The victim was said to be on the way to work with his younger brother.
The DPO quickly detailed operatives to the area.
The team on getting to the scene engaged the robbers in a gun duel along NPA Expressway by Niger Cat, Ekpan.
One of the robbers escaped, while the other suspect: Ovie Maxwell, 25, of Ekpan community was arrested and one locally made gun with two live cartridges were recovered from him.
Edafe said the manhunt for the fleeing suspect was ongoing.
He equally revealed that on November 14, 2021 at about 7:36pm, acting on information received that hoodlums numbering about five in Nigerian Army camouflage armed with AK 47 rifles came out of the bush at Idu Roundabout along Ozoro/Ughelli Expressway and opened fire on one Toyota Sienna with registration number SMK 185 FU conveying passengers from Ozoro to Ughelli.
The hoodlums abducted 11 passengers.
The DPO, Oleh Division, SP Paul Oboware, mobilised and led a combined team of Police patrol teams, vigilante and hunters to the scene.
Edafe added: “They cordoned off and combed the surrounding bushes relentlessly, which made the area uncomfortable for the hoodlums.
“Consequently, the suspected Kidnappers abandoned the 11 victims and fled.
“The 11 kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt and the vehicle recovered.
“Effort is ongoing to apprehend the fleeing hoodlums.”
In a related development, a complainant who went to wash his vehicle on November 14, 2021 at a car wash around Conoil filling station, Effurun said that after washing his car, himself and his brother while waiting for someone saw a group of four armed men who pounced on them, forced them into the vehicle and sped off.
He further stated that the hoodlums later put them in the boot of the vehicle.
On getting to a hold-up, they managed to open the boot and escape.
Information got to the DPO, Ebrumede Division, SP Bolarinwa Alabi, who immediately detailed and led operatives and went after the hoodlums.
In a combined effort with men of Ekpan Police Station, they trailed the hoodlums to Jakpa Road.
The hoodlums on noticing that the police was trailing them, abandoned the vehicle in the busy area of Jakpa and fled into the crowd.
In order not to hurt innocent citizens, the team could not engage them, but the Lexus car ES 350 gold colour with registration number Abuja-YAB 262 KC was recovered.
Edafe said effort is on top gear with a view to arresting the fleeing suspects.