•Nab cultist, intercept gun
An armed robbery gang was neutralised by Delta State Police Command while a suspect in the gang fell to bullet injuries during a gunfire exchange with police operatives.
This was disclosed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, on Friday, September 27, 2021.
According to the PPRO, on Thursday , September 16, at about 1:20pm, while the Divisional Police Officer of ‘A’ Division, Warri, CSP T.Y Mahmud with his rapid response team was on observation/visibility patrol along Warri/ Sapele Road, by Warri Club, he received information that a three-man armed robbery gang dispossessed an unknown victim of his belongings and was operating in a Toyota Corolla car with registration number RBC 218 BL.
This, the PPRO said, made the team to extend their patrol further with a view to arresting the gang.
However, the armed robbers, who sighted the police, started shooting, resulting in a gun duel.
Thenewsbearer learnt that one of the armed robbers sustained serious gunshot injury while two others escaped with bullet wounds.
According to Edafe, “the injured suspect was rushed to the hospital where he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment. The suspect, before he died, gave his name as Andrew and admitted to be a member of the dreaded Imomotimi group, a daredevil gang that has been on the command’s wanted list.
“One locally-made pistol loaded with a live cartridge, N130,000, one small Nokia phone and the Toyota Corolla were recovered.”
Also, on Wednesday, September 15, at about 1am, the Isiokolo Divisional patrol team in conjunction with vigilante was on stop-and-search operation along Okpara-Okurekpo road, Isiokolo when it flagged down a lady’s motorcycle with three passengers.
Viewed with suspicion, the team searched the occupants, during which a cut-to-size locally-made double-barreled gun was recovered from one of the passengers, who gave his name as Oghenenyerhovwo Solomon of Uruegbe Street, Okpara.
The police spokesman stated that this led to the suspect’s arrest, while the motorcycle was impounded, with the two others escaping into the bush.
He added that the command had been making efforts to arrest the two suspects at large.
In addition, on Monday, September 13, between 12:25am and 4:30am, police operatives raided black spots in Koko Oghara and some areas in Sapele that had been known to be hideouts for some cult-related activities.
During the raid, one suspected cultist, Rukevwe Afakpor, aged 29, was arrested and one locally-made double-barreled gun with three live cartridges were recovered from him.
The PPRO said that the state Commissioner of Police, Ari Muhammed Ali, had directed all Area Commanders, DPOs and tactical commanders to embark on serious raid of criminal hideouts and constant visibility patrol, while he urged members of the public to be law-abiding to make policing much more easier.
He also assured members of the public that efforts currently being put in place to ensure peace and security would be sustained.
