In a daring operation, the Delta State Police Command successfully rescued five members of Elyon Paradise Ministry, Ogwashi-Uku, who were kidnapped while attending a night vigil at the church on February 22, 2025.
The police operatives engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun battle in the Ubuluku-Ogwashi-Uku forests, where the victims were being held hostage.
Following the kidnapping, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, deployed tactical teams to Ogwashi-Uku to ensure the safe rescue of the victims. A team led by the Commander of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad, CSP Labe Joseph, alongside members of the Ubuluku community vigilante group and concerned locals, stormed the forest on February 25, 2025.
Gun Battle and Arrest
The kidnappers, upon sighting the police, engaged them in a fierce gun battle but could not withstand the superior firepower of the operatives. They fled, abandoning the victims, who were rescued unharmed and have since reunited with their families.
Exhibits Recovered and Manhunt Underway
Exhibits recovered from the scene included 13 rounds of expended cartridges and a bag containing ₦1,300,000, suspected to be ransom money. The police confirmed that a manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing.
Abaniwonda praised the bravery of the police operatives, the resilience of the Ubuluku community vigilante members, and the commitment of human rights activists who assisted in the rescue operation.