By Eunice Nnachi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Police Command has rescued a 42-year-old woman, Sarah Chinedu, who was abducted in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, after spending nearly one month in captivity.
Chinedu, an indigene of Ebonyi State and resident of Amassoma, was reportedly abducted on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, after suspected kidnappers stormed her foam shop under the guise of wanting to purchase an item.
The Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, CP Ajao Adewale, disclosed the development on Sunday while briefing journalists on the successful rescue operation carried out by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), led by CSP Chris Nwaogbo.
According to the police commissioner, the victim was rescued unhurt from the kidnappers’ hideout in Ogboinbiri Forest, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Adewale said the command received a distress call at about 7 p.m. on the day of the abduction and immediately activated its intelligence network to track the kidnappers and locate their victim.
He explained that intelligence gathered through digital and local sources provided vital clues about the movement of the suspects and their ransom negotiations with the victim’s family.
The kidnappers, he said, initially demanded N100 million as ransom but later reduced the demand to N20 million. They also reportedly collected N1.5 million from the victim’s husband for what they described as “refreshments.”
The CP said operatives of the Violent Crime Response Squad moved into the Ogboinbiri Forest five days before the final operation and began closing in on the kidnappers’ camp.
He said the operation was eventually launched at about 1:45 a.m., leading to the rescue of Chinedu and the arrest of one of the suspected kidnappers.
The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Mark from Akenfa 1 community, was arrested during the operation.
Adewale said the suspect had confessed to his alleged involvement in the abduction and provided information on how the gang reportedly carried out the operation.
According to the commissioner, the suspects allegedly surveyed the area before targeting the woman, who was operating her foam business without sufficient security around her.
“They surveyed the environment and saw that the woman was not sufficiently protected. They abducted her, put her in a vehicle and moved her to the riverside, where she was ferried to the camp,” Adewale said.
He explained that the suspects allegedly approached the victim’s shop pretending to be customers interested in buying foam before abducting her.
The police commissioner said the rescue operation involved personnel from the Violent Crime Response Squad, the Federal Criminal Investigation Unit and the Marine Department.
He commended the officers and men who participated in the operation, particularly those who endured difficult riverine terrain and challenging conditions while tracking the kidnappers.
The command said investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang who remain at large.
