Security operations have been intensified under the direct supervision of the Delta State Commissioner of Police following the abduction of the Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Hon. Bright Abeke, who was seized by armed men in a late-night hotel attack on Friday, April 10, 2026.
The incident occurred at about 7:23 p.m. at a hotel along Owumi Road in Sapele, where heavily armed assailants stormed the premises, fired sporadically to disperse occupants, and abducted the council chairman before fleeing to an unknown destination. A vigilante operative and another security aide sustained injuries during the attack.
In a significant escalation of the response, the Commissioner of Police has since taken direct operational control of the rescue mission, relocating to Sapele to coordinate field activities, review intelligence inputs, and synchronize tactical deployments across units involved in the search.
Under his directive, combined teams of anti-kidnapping operatives, intelligence officers, and tactical squads have intensified a manhunt for the abductors. Security forces are currently monitoring escape routes, including adjoining forest belts and waterways believed to be possible transit corridors used by the suspects.
Police authorities say the operation has shifted into an intelligence-led recovery phase, with expanded surveillance and coordinated inter-agency support aimed at locating and safely rescuing the abducted council chairman.
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As of the latest update, the whereabouts of Hon. Abeke remain unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials have also not confirmed any ransom demand.
The Police Command has assured residents that all necessary resources have been fully deployed and urged the public to remain calm as operations continue under heightened security presence across Sapele and surrounding communities.
The development has further intensified concerns over targeted attacks on public office holders in parts of Delta State, prompting renewed calls for strengthened preventive security measures.
