Delta State Police Command said its operatives have raided various criminal hideouts in the state and made major breakthroughs.
Some of the major breakthrough include the recovery of 968 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, five locally fabricated guns, ransom money and snatched vehicles.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, September 17.
SP Edafe said that the Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, has assured Deltans of the Command’s resolve to tackle crime and ensure that the state is safe for all.
Giving details of the achievements, the police image maker said that on September 5, 2024, at about 1.30pm, anti-crime patrol team of Aboh division, while on stop and search duty in Aboh town, intercepted one motorcycle conveying two occupants carrying a bag.
He said the occupants were subjected to a routine search.
He disclosed that during the search, one of them took to his heels.
He said the other suspect, Anthony Goddey, was immediately arrested, while 968 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered from him when searched.
Also, Edafe said that on September 12, 2024; at about 1.30pm, crack squad attached to Area Command, Ughelli, while acting on a tip off, stormed a brothel cum criminal hideout in Ewu town, Ughelli South LGA and arrested five suspects.
They include Dominic Uweru alias Ovwolo, who is 48-year-old; Isaac Oghenerukevwe, alias Plug, aged 34; Oviri Godstime, 25-year-old; Junior Sunday and Efedeki Adjovo.
He said that one single barrel gun, three locally-made cut-to-size guns, a sum of N450,000 for kidnap ransom, one Moniepoint POS machine, one OPAY POS machine and wraps of weeds suspected to be cannabis were recovered.
“They confessed to various armed robbery/kidnapping operations in Ughelli and environs, including the kidnap of a 70-year-old woman (name withheld), who was abducted on September 8, 2024, and collection of the sum of N7.9 million as ransom on September 10, before her release.
“The suspects are in custody and investigation is ongoing,”the police spokesman said.
Also, he stated that while acting on credible information, operatives of Agbarho police station stormed the house of one Ovoke Enaike, aged 43, an indigene of Ovierie Ethiope East Local Government Area who resides in Ehwerhe Village, Agbarho.
According to him, “during the search of his daylong motorcycle with registration number DTS XLEH 13 WL, a nylon bag containing one locally fabricated gun, one live cartridge and 38 rounds of AK-47 ammunition hidden under the motorcycle seat were recovered.
“Suspect is in Agbarho police custody. Efforts are in top gear to a arrest the remaining gang members and recover more arms.
“Case will be transferred to State Headquarters, Asaba, while preliminary investigation is in progress and further development will be communicated.”
Speaking further, the PPRO said that on September 9, at about 5.45pm, the Commander, CP Monitoring Unit, SP Inyere Elias Chinedu, while on credible intelligence, led operatives to Kilometre 9, Asaba-Benin Expressway, where two male suspects were arrested.
Identified as Olisa Emenoha and Iteke Uchenna Wilson, with both aged 26 and from Anambra State, they were found to be in possession of Toyota Corolla with registration number AWK 597 ND and Toyota Camry with registration number GDD 149 MA which were suspected to be stolen.
Edafe said that the suspects were about to dispose of the vehicles when they were arrested, adding that preliminary investigation revealed that they were serial car snatchers and that one of the vehicles was snatched at a gunpoint in Akwa Ibom State.