•Five guns recovered
Four victims (names withheld) who were kidnapped on Monday, September 11, 2023, at about 4am, have been rescued by police operatives in Delta State Command.
Before the rescue, Thenewsbearer learnt that the victims were abducted while on transit along Abraka-Eku expressway, close to Orerokpe Bridge, Okpe Local Government Area. Shortly after, the abductors reportedly demanded N10 million as ransom before the release of the victims.
Confirming this on Wednesday, September 13, command’s spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, said that the victims regained their freedom on Tuesday, September 12, after the pressure on the kidnappers by police operatives, supported by the Nigerian Army troop, vigilante groups and members of Orerokpe Community where the victims were residing.
In his explanation, the PPRO said that on Tuesday, at about 4pm, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Orerokpe Division, CSP Paul Oboware in swift response to the abduction, led a team of policemen, supported by soldiers, Orerokpe community members and vigilante groups, to trail the kidnappers to adjoining bushes, using technically-generated intelligence.
On sighting the rescue team, the abductors were said to have abandoned the victims and fled to avoid being arrested.
“…all the kidnapped victims were rescued and taken to the hospital where they were treated, discharged, and have since been reunited with their families.
“Efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects are ongoing,” Edafe stated.
Also, a 35-year-old suspect, Sunday Yerakpo was found with four new locally-made cut-to-size guns in his possession during a stop-and-search operation at Aragba Junction, along Sapele Aghalokpe Road, Okpe LGA.
The PPRO said that the weapon recovery was in line with the mandate by the Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, to police operatives in the command to fight crime and curb the prevalent excesses of criminals in the state.
“The DPO, Orerokpe Division, deployed a crack squad of the Division to embark on a proactive and crime preventing policing within his area of responsibility.
“This Crack Team in a combined effort with the Aragba vigilantes, initiated an intensive stop and search where they accosted one Sunday Yerakpo in possession of four new locally-made cut-to-size guns.
“The 35-year-old male suspect, who hails from Orhuwhorun in Odu LGA, had concealed the four new locally-fabricated cut-to-size gun under the seat of his red QLINK Motorcycle (REG NO JRT178VH).
“The suspect was immediately arrested and preliminary investigation revealed that he dealt in gun running, and that one of his accomplices known as Ose Ogboyen, sent him to deliver the arms to a client popularly known as ‘Saputu.’ Efforts to arrest the said Ose Ogboyen and Saputu are ongoing,” the police spokesman said.
In a similar vein, a Makarov pistol with an empty magazine was recovered from Prince Diegbegha, a native of Ogulagha community, on Saturday, September 9, at about 4:30pm, by operatives of Ogulagha Police post under Burutu LGA.
Led by the District Officer (DO) in collaboration with local members of the Nigerian hunters in the community and forest security service, the operatives, acting on credible information, reportedly stormed 8, Palace Road, Ogulagha, where the suspect, aged 25, was apprehended.
A search conducted in his apartment was said to have revealed the Makarov pistol, and when interrogated, the suspect opened up that he bought the gun for N200,000 from one Oshimili (now late) in 2018 at Ozoro.
Edafe said that the suspect and the exhibit were in police custody while investigation is ongoing.
In his comment on the achievements of the command’s officers and men, CP Abass assured the public that his pledge to preserve the peace in the state remains his utmost priority.
He stated further that credible information that would aid in crime fighting could be passed to the command through the Police Public Relation Office, the Area Commanders, and DPOs, promising that their identities would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
