The Delta State Police Command has recorded major breakthroughs in its ongoing operations against kidnapping, cultism and other violent crimes with the successful rescue of a 48-year-old woman kidnapped in the Ovade Forest, arrest of 54 suspected cultists and recovery of a locally made firearm, live cartridge and suspected cannabis.

The Command’s spokesperson Bright Edafe, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the operations were carried out in different parts of the state between September 19 and 23, 2026, following intelligence gathering and coordinated interventions by police operatives, vigilantes and hunters.

Edafe said the kidnapped woman, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, was rescued unhurt on September 23 after a gun battle between security operatives and suspected kidnappers in the Ovade Forest.

According to him the operation followed a distress call concerning the abduction of the woman, prompting the Divisional Police Officer, Oghara Division, to mobilise operatives of the division, the Quick Response Squad, vigilantes and local hunters into the forest.

The security team, while combing the forest in continuation of efforts to locate the victim, reportedly encountered about four suspected kidnappers who engaged the operatives in a gun duel.

The police said the suspects were eventually forced to retreat into the forest, abandoning the kidnapped woman, who was immediately rescued.

The operatives reportedly pursued the fleeing suspects, during which one unidentified suspect was found lifeless, while another suspect, identified as Abubakhar Sani, was apprehended with gunshot injuries.

Both suspects were subsequently taken to hospital, where they were confirmed dead.

The police said one dagger, a National Identification Number (NIN) slip, an OPay Verve card, a Tecno mobile phone and other personal effects were recovered during the operation.

The rescued victim, according to the Command, is stable and currently undergoing debriefing, while efforts are being intensified to track down and apprehend other members of the fleeing gang.

The Command also disclosed that its intensified anti-cultism operations had resulted in the arrest of 54 suspected cultists in three separate operations across Eku, Obiaruku and Ubulu-Uku.

In the first operation, operatives of the Abraka Division, supported by personnel of the State Intelligence Department (SID) and local vigilantes, acting on credible intelligence, stormed a suspected cult initiation gathering in Eku on September 19.

The operation led to the arrest of 30 suspects comprising 29 males and one female.

Preliminary investigation, he said, indicated that the gathering was allegedly connected with the initiation of new members into the Black Axe Confraternity.

The suspects were subsequently transferred to the Command Anti-Cult Unit (CACU), Sector 2, Ozoro, for further investigation.

The police said information obtained during the investigation subsequently provided leads that enabled the CACU Sector 2 commander and his operatives to carry out another operation in Obiaruku on September 20.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 20 additional suspects comprising 15 males and five females over alleged involvement in cult-related activities.

The Command said investigation was ongoing to determine the individual roles and levels of involvement of the suspects.

In a related development, four male suspects were arrested in Ubulu-Uku on September 20 in connection with a suspected cult-related killing.

The suspects, identified as Okwudili Ozah, 34; Chekwube Onwuka, 18; Onyebe Emmanuel, 19; and Ozoremenem Izuchukwu, 21, were handed over to operatives of the CACU, Asaba, for further investigation.

He said the suspects were suspected members of the Supreme Vikings and Eiye confraternities while one locally made single-barrel cut-to-size gun, one live cartridge and a quantity of substance suspected to be cannabis were recorded

The victim of the suspected cult-related killing was rushed to a medical facility, where he was confirmed dead.

His remains were subsequently deposited at the mortuary for autopsy as investigators commenced efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing and establish the individual roles of the suspects. (The Guardian)