'Serious security alert' triggered after takeaway driver threatened at gunpoint and forced to deliver mysterious package to police station

Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson confirmed the delivery driver had been held at gunpoint and forced to drive his car with an object inside to the town’s police station.

"At about 10.30pm last night, a fast-food delivery driver, driving their white Audi car in the Deramore Drive area of Kilwilkie in Lurgan, the driver, in a terrifying development, was forced to stop their vehicle and threatened at gunpoint and then the hijackers placed an object inside the vehicle and that driver was then forced and threatened to drive the vehicle to Lurgan police station," he said.

Mr Henderson said the officer drove to the police station and then alerted police.

"Since then there has been a really significant policing operation which we have been co-ordinating overnight to make sure the car and the contents of the car were secure and safe. That has led to the evacuation of a number of homes in the area.

"Clearly an absolutely terrifying ordeal to the poor man who was forced to drive the car, hugely disruptive and distressing event for the local community in Lurgan.

"Our specialist terrorism investigation unit have been leading the investigation into it."

Church Place, Church Walk and Wellington Street are closed, while sections of Market Street, William Street and North Street are also shut off, police confirmed.

Motorists have been told to avoid the area while investigations are ongoing.

For those evacuated, Logan Town Hall has been opened and will provide refuge and support.

Carla Lockhart MP told GB News: "A very serious incident happened when we had delivery driver hijacked and Kilwilkie, driven a gun point into our local police station here in Lurgan."

Mrs Lockhart said more than 100 homes were evicted, while business have remained shut into the morning. They are only now "starting to see normality return".

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP added: "It's not something that Lurgan wants. It is not something the community support. These individuals are pathetic. They are small in number, and we need to ensure that they are caught by the by the PSNI and face the full rigors of the law."

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Naomi Long said: "This is a shameful and dangerous attack that has put lives at risk and caused disruption and upset to the local community.

"There is absolutely no place for this utterly reckless and abhorrent behaviour.

"I would like to commend the police officers who responded quickly and professionally to this incident and my thoughts are also with all those who have been caught up by this despicable attack."

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Jon Burrows told the BBC the incident "bears all the hallmarks of a terrorist attack, probably carried out by dissident republicans".

He stopped short of confirming explosives in the vehicle, but also confirmed a controlled explosion had taken place, describing it as a '"reckless attack".

"I think it's a reminder that while they've been heavily infiltrated and dismantled, there still remains lethal intent and capability of dissident republicans," he added.

A spokesman for the PSNI confirmed the alert was underway shortly after midnight: "Members of the public are asked to avoid the Church Place area of Lurgan due to an ongoing security alert, this morning.

"Cordons are in place, and an evacuation operation is due to get underway.

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