Delta Police Arrest 11 Kidnappers, 7 Cultists, 5 Armed Robbers In Two Months
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Delta State Police Command says it has arrested 11 kidnap suspects, 7 suspected cultists and 5 armed robbery suspects in the last 2 months.
Police Commissioner, Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, made the disclosure at a Press Briefing on Thursday, in which he listed the achievements of the Command from 25th July to date.
He said that operatives of the Command, in addition to arresting 1 suspected drug dealer and rescuing 2 kidnap victims, also recovered 4 AK-47 rifles, 138 ammunition and cartridges, 8 pump action guns, 15 locally made cut-to-size guns and 5 Beretta pistols within the period under review.
Giving details of the rescue of the kidnap victims, Abaniwonda said that on 31st August 2024, at about 2:50am, upon receipt of actionable information relating to a kidnapping incident of two persons kidnapped the previous day, he directed the Special Anti-Kidnapping and cybercrime squad to ensure that the victims are rescued and the suspects arrested.
“The Commander anti-kidnaping squad led policemen in a sting operation to Umunede forest area where the victims were being held hostage. The suspected kidnappers on noticing that the police were closing in on them abandoned the victims and escaped. They were rescued and have been reunited with their families. One Dane gun and ten rounds of live cartridges were recovered. Effort to arrest the fleeing suspects is ongoing”, he stated.
The Commissioner of Police also gave details of the foiling by his men, of an attempted kidnap. According to him, on 13th August 2024, while students of Delta State Polytechnic Oghara were having their graduation ceremony, the command received credible information that some suspected kidnappers had perfected plans to kidnap guests who would be attending the ceremony.
He then directed the DPO Oghara to intensify effort and ensure that these suspects are arrested and their intentions foiled. The DPO led operatives of Oghara division to their hideout in a bush along Otefe/ Ovade Legit Road where the suspected kidnappers on sighting the police, took to their heels and escaped with various degrees of gunshot injuries.
“One AK-47 Riffle, one magazine, one English pump action gun, and one locally made cut-to-size gun were recovered. Manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing”, he said.
Similarly, acting on credible intelligence, operatives of Ebrumede division while on patrol duty intercepted a tricycle conveying 6 passengers. The suspects on sighting the police attempted to escape but the operatives chased and arrested them.
Upon search of the suspects, a cash sum of N2,344,000 was recovered. Some suspected stolen phones were also recovered. Further investigation revealed that the phone belonged to their kidnapped victims and the money was part of the ransom the victims paid for their freedom.
Furthermore, on 25th July 2024, at about 8pm, operatives of the Command Dragon Patrol while on stop and search duty along Asaba-Agbor expressway intercepted one Jammed Abdulahi Shola aged 39, driving a green Toyota vehicle.
Upon search of the vehicle, 320 packs of codeine, 125 sachets of tramadol, and other hard drugs in large quantities were recovered from him, and investigation is ongoing
Abaniwonda recalled that during his last briefing, he had intimated the public on deployment made in the metropolis to checkmate the activities of kidnappers. He averred that following the deployment, the activities of kidnappers and armed robbers had dropped astronomically.
“As you are aware, we are now in the ember months and the command is aware of the likely upsurge in crime within these periods, hence an Operations order has been issued to all Area commanders, DPOS, and tactical commanders. There will be increased visibility policing, raiding of black spots and criminal hideout across the twenty-five local government areas in the state” he said.
He encouraged members of the public to trust and always report incidences to the Police “as this goes a long way in fighting and checkmating the activities of criminals”.
