Delta: Police arrest 52 criminal suspects, recover ammunition, cash

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested no fewer than 52 criminal suspects across the Ughelli, Warri, and Sapele areas in recent weeks.

This announcement was made by CP Olufemi Abaniwonda through the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, during a parade of the suspects in Ughelli on Wednesday.

The arrested individuals include 34 suspected kidnappers, 12 cult members, two fraudsters, and four gun runners. A significant cache of weapons was recovered from the suspects, which included seven AK-47 rifles, one AK-49, one G3 rifle, six pump-action guns, nine light machine guns (LMG), 16 Beretta pistols, 35 cartridges, 53 rounds of ammunition, and seven cutlasses. Additionally, police recovered ₦5.5 million in ransom and rescued three kidnapped victims.

On September 12, 2024, acting on intelligence about a kidnapping syndicate terrorizing the Sapele-Warri road, the CP Special Assignment Team conducted a sting operation in Sapele town, leading to the arrest of four suspects—Bakpor Isaiah (34), Victor (31), Ogheneochukwu Emmanuel (47), and Godspower Clifford (19)—all reportedly members of the Vikings confraternity.

Preliminary investigations revealed they were linked to a series of kidnappings and armed robberies along the Warri-Sapele road. A Toyota Sienna, which served as their operational vehicle, was also seized.

On September 18, at around 3:40 a.m., the CP Special Assignment Team identified a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Ogor Forest. Upon arrival, the suspects engaged in a gun battle with the police, resulting in two suspects sustaining gunshot wounds.

They were later confirmed dead at a local hospital. Police recovered a pump-action gun, a locally made cut-to-size gun, and nine rounds of live cartridges at the scene. A manhunt for the remaining suspects is ongoing.

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On October 5, 2024, 42-year-old Timothy Ochuko was arrested for suspected fraud. Following an intelligence-led investigation, it was revealed that he was also involved in kidnapping. On October 7, ₦500,000 was recovered from his bank account, representing part of his share of ₦1.1 million from a ₦4 million ransom collected from a victim he helped kidnap on September 25, 2024, in Ughelli.

In a related case, on September 17, 2024, operatives arrested 33-year-old Oghenetega, also a member of the Vikings confraternity, in Ogorode, Sapele. A search of his residence yielded an AK-47 rifle, a G3 rifle, and a fabricated long gun.

Following the murder of the vice youth chairman of Mosogar town and a policeman along the Warri-Sapele road, intelligence revealed the suspect’s identity, who had been on the command’s watchlist for over three years. On September 25, 2024, CP SAT operatives arrested Ojoko Ijoyoto A.K.A. Pikolo (29) in Mosogar and recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with six rounds of live ammunition from his residence.

On October 5, 2024, at approximately 2:05 p.m., operatives arrested Tunde Akingbenomo (32) at his residence in Ogharaefe, Ethiope East LGA.

A search uncovered a locally made gun and led the team to an uncompleted building where two fabricated automatic Beretta pistols were discovered. SP Edafe confirmed that investigations are ongoing into all these cases, emphasizing the commitment of the Delta State Police Command to combating crime in the region.