In a daring, high-stakes rescue mission, operatives of Operation Puff Adder have successfully freed two senior officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) who were abducted on Friday while traveling by river to Ayakoro community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The hostages—Akari Loveday, Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to the NDDC Managing Director, and his brother, Emmanuel Nathan Ogbuku—were snatched by gunmen in the treacherous waterways of the region. Their ordeal ended in the dense forests of Bayelsa after a relentless manhunt by security forces.
Senior security sources revealed that the breakthrough was achieved due to the intense pressure mounted by a joint tactical team, comprising Operation Puff Adder, the Bayelsa State Police Command’s drone unit, and private security outfit Ability Security Services. The Nigerian Navy’s NNS Soroh played a crucial role, deploying heavily armed gunboats to cut off the kidnappers’ escape routes along the river.
The rescue operation was spearheaded by DSP Chris Nwaogbo, whose team trailed the captors through the maze-like creeks and dense forests stretching from Ayakoro to Onuebum-Eboi and Otuogidi.
“The police and the kidnappers engaged in a relentless chase through the waterways,” a security source disclosed. “The gunmen, realizing they were outmaneuvered, attempted to vanish into the forest, but we stayed on their trail with aerial surveillance from drone units.”
Local vigilante groups and community youths from Ewoi and Otuogidi provided crucial intelligence, significantly aiding security forces. The Paramount Ruler of the Ewoi community personally intervened, urging local forces to support the mission.
The tension peaked when the kidnappers, cornered and under heavy fire, were forced to abandon their captives at the Ayama burial ground. The police engaged the gunmen in a fierce firefight before securing the victims.
“Given how the kidnappers operated, we suspect they are not familiar with the terrain. Their movements were erratic, and they underestimated the force that would come after them,” another security official noted.
Following the successful rescue, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad joined Operation Puff Adder to secure the area and ensure the criminals did not regroup. The dramatic operation has been hailed as a significant victory against the rising tide of kidnappings in the region.
As the police team led by DSP Nwaogbo returned with the rescued officials, the Ayakoro community erupted in jubilation. Residents poured into the streets, chanting praises for the security forces and celebrating the safe return of their abducted sons.
This daring rescue underscores the resilience of Bayelsa’s security forces and the unwavering determination to stamp out criminal activities threatening peace in the Niger Delta.
PIONEER NEWS 