A total of 16 victims abducted by kidnappers have been rescued by officials of the police command near Ughelli South LGA of Delta.

The Command spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed it in a statement in Asaba, that the victims were rescued on Wednesday.

“On March 3, 2021, at about 19.37 hrs, a distress call was received that about 16 workers of one Mr Zion Onofighe, a hotelier, were attacked by gunmen at his building site in Ogor, Ughelli.

“Patrol teams dispatched to the scene, later engaged the hoodlums in a shootout.

“They successfully rescued the hotelier and 16 workers unhurt.

“A Toyota Highlander jeep was also recovered from the scene,’’ Edafe stated.

The Police spokesman said that the command had launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects.

Similarly, he said that the command recovered one AK-47 rifle from suspected robbers in Asaba after police operatives engaged the suspects in a gun battle in Asaba on Wednesday.

“On March 3, 2021, the Police, acting on a tip-off, swooped on some group of armed robbers operating opposite the Federal Road Safety Corps office, Asaba.

“A team of the command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives raced to the scene and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel.

“Two of the hoodlums were fatally shot and injured.

“They later died while others escaped.

“The Police recovered one AK-47 rifle from the suspects,’’ Edafe said.