By Charles Pemu 
Delta State has become a battleground between organized kidnap syndicates and security agencies, as multiple gangs spread across the state’s senatorial districts continue to terrorize residents and commuters. Investigations reveal that at least three major formations — alongside splinter groups — are deeply entrenched in communities across the north, south, and central zones of the state.
From Ubuluku-Uku to Ogwashi-Uku, Sapele, Abraka, Oghara, Onicha-Ukwuani, Urhonigbe, Ozoro, Obiaruku, Ohoror, and beyond, criminal networks have established sophisticated hideouts in forests and rural settlements, conscripting young boys through fear and intimidation. These groups, investigators say, operate like corporations, setting weekly targets for their members and remitting ransoms to their leaders.
Local, Southeastern and Northern Rings
Contrary to popular perception that kidnapping in Delta is solely orchestrated by Fulani gangs from the north, security sources confirm that criminal elements cut across ethnic lines. Young men from Delta and neighboring southeastern states also run their own cells.
One notorious southeastern kingpin, after serving time in prison, relocated to Delta and set up a hostage-taking gang. His loyalists abduct victims, move them to remote camps, and negotiate ransoms with brutal efficiency. Police at Akwukwu-Igbo Division recently arrested members of his syndicate, with the help of the Anioma vigilante group.
Native-led gangs are also active. To avoid detection, they wear masks during operations. In one instance, a masked abductor fled into the bush when a motorcyclist recognized his voice in Ubulu-Uku. Some of these native groups reportedly recruit northern gunmen armed with AK-47s to fortify their ranks.
Fulani Brigands in Abraka
One of the most notorious Fulani-run operations is in Abraka, where kidnappers set up base near the university town, stretching through Obiaruku, Abavo, and Agbor. Their leader, based in Edo State’s Okada axis, coordinates from outside Delta while his foot soldiers operate in the forests near McCarthy Beach. In June, police, local hunters, and vigilantes killed four members of this gang during a fierce gun battle along the Abraka railway.
Ozoro/Ndokwa & Ohoror Networks
In Ndokwa, the Ozoro kidnap gang has regrouped under new northern leadership following the death of its former commander, Yakubu. Meanwhile, another gang led by a man known as Mohammed dominates the Ohoror–Uwheru–Agadama axis. Mohammed, with deep military connections, once masterminded the abduction of three anti-riot police officers. Despite past arrests, reports suggest he was released through powerful northern influence.
High-Profile Kidnaps
Mohammed’s deputy allegedly supervised the kidnapping of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Abavo in December 2023. Other cells stretch through Ogwashi-Uku, Issele-Azagba, Ibusa, and Otulu, mixing Fulani gunmen with local collaborators.
Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, confirmed earlier this year that security operatives neutralized one dreaded kingpin, Abubakar Usman (alias Shehu), who confessed to multiple abductions, including the murder of victims in Ogwashi-Uku and Ibusa. Police also recovered millions in ransom cash, rifles, and ammunition from raids in Ogwashi-Uku and Ibusa forests.
Security Pushback
The tide, however, appears to be shifting. Brigadier-General M.A. Shonibare, Commander of the 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, told journalists after a recent Security Council meeting in Asaba that kidnapping cases in Delta had “dramatically reduced.” He credited joint operations with the police’s Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, which rescued victims, recovered rifles, and neutralized suspects.
Commissioner Abaniwonda corroborated, noting that over ₦5.7 million in ransom money has been recovered alongside several AK-47s and pump-action rifles. He assured residents and investors that Delta State was preparing for a peaceful ember season, emphasizing that kidnapping syndicates would find no safe haven in the state.