The Delta State Police Command has arrested 16 suspects in separate operations across the state, recovering a pump-action gun, a locally made pistol, a stolen Toyota Camry and quantities of suspected illicit drugs.
In the first operation, operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit, Ozoro, acting on credible intelligence, raided a suspected cult gathering at Aragba-Orogun and arrested eight suspects.
The suspects were identified as Godspower Achubue, 27; Ziden Edem, 27; Kingsley Aniefem, 36; Omita John, 22; Onumu Happy, 22; Kenneth Ukpurakpo, 22; Juliet Festus, 26; and Oghenegueke Okuanah, 22.
Police said a search warrant executed at the residence of one of the suspects led to the recovery of a pump-action gun and one live cartridge.
In another operation on September 8, operatives of the Okpanam Division arrested a 30-year-old man, Collins Dunkun, over an alleged extortion attempt at a construction site.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly invaded the site, stopped workers, seized their tools and demanded ₦700,000 before allowing work to resume. Six other suspects reportedly fled when the police arrived.
A search of Dunkun led to the recovery of a locally made single-barrel pistol and one cartridge, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
Also on September 8, operatives of the Divisional Surveillance Team raided an uncompleted building at King Zanga, Ugbuegwai Community, Warri, following intelligence on alleged illicit drug activities.
Five suspects—Rabi’u Salihu, 26; Salisu Suleiman, 23; Rabilu Ali, 24; Alhassan Mohd Mansur, 28; and Aliyu Abubakar, 25—were arrested.
Police said quantities of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, Codeine, Colorado, Rizla, SK and Canadian Loud were recovered from the scene.
Meanwhile, two suspects, Destiny Suleman, 41, and Samuel Ejiro, 21, were arrested in Ekpan following the recovery of a Toyota Camry allegedly stolen in Benin City.
The vehicle, a brown Toyota Camry Pencil Light with registration number BEN-572BT, was reported stolen on September 7.
Following intelligence-led investigation, operatives traced it to the New Era area of Jakpa Road, Ekpan, where they laid an ambush and arrested the two suspects.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel E. Erale, warned that cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, extortion, illicit drug activities and other criminal acts would not be tolerated in the state.
Erale assured residents that the command would continue to adopt proactive measures to prevent crime, dismantle criminal networks and ensure that offenders are brought to justice.
