32 Itugbe Kings football players rescued, 5 still missing – Police

Police have explained how its operatives rescued 32 teenage football players of Itugbe Kings Club, Warri, Delta State abducted along Agbor/Uronigbe/Obiaruku Expressway while travelling from Agbor to Warri around 6 pm last Friday.

Reports indicated that about six of the footballers were still missing with the kidnappers demanding N30 million to release them.

But the Edo State Police Command in a statement by its spokesperson, Jennifer Iwegbu, said it was able to rescue most of the footballers unhurt after on rigorous bush combing which lasted for several hours.

It added that efforts are ongoing to rescue the rest of the missing players.

The statement read in part, “The Edo State Police Command through its Uronigbe Divisional Headquarters, in the Orhihonwon Local Government Area, Edo State, on August 13, 2022, rescued 34 kidnapped victims, 32 of them were children, along the Benin-Agbor Expressway.

“Following credible information received from members of the public that around 6.06pm on August 12, hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers emerged from the bush along the Agbor/Uronigbe/Obiaruku Expressway and kidnapped occupants of a bus travelling from Agbor to Warri, with number plate, DT513B2, and conveying football players of Itugbe Kings Club, Warri, Delta State, and whisked them into the bush.

“On receipt of the information, the Divisional Police Officer immediately mobilised his team of police operatives in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes and tactical team from the Delta State Police Command at the state boundary and swung into action.

“The combined team embarked on rigorous bush combing which lasted for several hours resulting in the rescue of 32 of the victims unhurt. While they were being profiled to ensure that all were rescued, it was discovered that five were still missing. Intense bush combing is ongoing to rescue the other five victims unhurt.”