Two suspected members of a dreaded armed robbery/kidnapping gang were killed by operatives of Delta State Police Command in a gun duel on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
Confirming this on Monday, January 30, the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, said that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ovwian Aladja Division, CSP Aliyu Shaba, got information that two members of a dreaded armed robbery/kidnapping gang were sighted at a club in Udu Local Government Area.
The DPO reportedly mobilized police operatives and led them to storm the club where one of the suspects was arrested.
In his confession during interrogation, the arrested suspect was said to have admitted being a member of the gang spoken about, and led the operatives to their hideout in Udu.
However , according to the PPRO, the gang members, on sighting police operatives, engaged them in a serious gun duel during which one of the suspects was neutralized by the operatives.
Edafe said that the suspect arrested at the club was seriously wounded in the crossfire while other members of the gang escaped.
“One AK-47 rifle and 27 rounds of 7.62 ammunition were recovered,” he stated, adding that the injured suspect gave up the ghost before he could get to the hospital where he was taken for medical treatment.
The PPRO said that efforts were on to arrest the fleeing gang members.
Also, operatives of raiders squad deployed to Oghara on directive of the Commissioner of Police, Ari Mohammed Ali, on Sunday , January 29, raided a suspected cultists’ hideout at the back of Oghara Grammar School and recovered an AK-47 rifle, a double-barrel gun and cartridges.
In another development, sequel to the incessant complaints received by the Command on the activities of hoodlums who break into people’s houses and steal their generators, the Commissioner of Police issued a marching order to DPOs, especially within the Asaba metropolis, to fish out the perpetrators or risk being removed.
Acting on this directive, the DPO GRA gathered intelligence that led to the arrest of one Titus Sunday, aged 49, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
During interrogation, the suspect was said to have confessed to being part of the syndicate that was stealing generators within the Asaba metropolis.
Edafe said that he led operatives to Awka, in Anambra State, where one 220KVA generator stolen along Mariam Babangida way Asaba, was recovered.
“The suspect on January 29 also led operatives to their hideout in Asaba, and seven other suspected stolen sound-proof generators were also recovered. Manhunt for the other members is ongoing,” he stated.
