The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Bright Edafe, in a statement issued on Thursday said that the operation was sequel to intelligence gathered on some kidnapping incidents in the Warri axis of the state.
The Delta State Police Command has said that its operatives have arrested suspected notorious kidnappers, armed robbers and cultists and recovered several guns and ammunition in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Bright Edafe, in a statement issued on Thursday said that the operation was sequel to intelligence gathered on some kidnapping incidents in the Warri axis of the state.
The police spokesperson said that the intelligence revealed that the kidnapping activities were being carried out by a 20-year-old suspect identified as Yakubu Ya’u, who resides in Kaduna State, but always comes to Oha and Ughwagba communities in Okpe Local Government Area to kidnap unsuspecting residents for ransom.
According to Edafe, on Saturday following combined effort from police operatives of the command and operatives from the Force Intelligence Unit, Abuja on the hideout of the suspect, the DPO Orerokpe, CSP Paul Oboware, immediately mobilised and led his patrol teams to the suspect’s hideout in Warri, and after a painstaking search of the entire area, the said Yakubu Ya’u was arrested.
He said that preliminary investigation and interrogation of the suspect led to the arrest of two other key gang members identified as 25-year-old Musa Yakubu from Kogi State and 38-year-old Abdulahi Mohammed from Cameroon on Sunday at about 1049hrs.
Edafe said that “The suspects are allegedly responsible for several kidnapping incidents in Orerokpe, Sapele, Warri, and environs. The victims have equally identified the suspects.
“The suspected kidnappers led the detectives of the Orerokpe Division to Ughwagba Community in Okpe LGA, where two Automatic Pump Action guns, one live cartridge, and one knife were hidden and buried in the bush were recovered.
“Preliminary investigations are still ongoing, and efforts to arrest other fleeing members of the gangs are on top gear,” he said.
Also, the police spokesperson said that on Friday, while acting on a report made at the Ozoro Division, police operatives arrested one 20-year-old Michael Udo during investigation, and a search warrant was executed in his premises where a locally made revolver gun and two live cartridges were recovered in his house, adding that investigation was ongoing.
Similarly, on Tuesday, the DPO Obiaruku Division received a report from a distress caller that he was being bullied and forced into a cult initiation.
“On the strength of the complaint, the DPO Obiaruku mobilised police operatives and arrested the suspect identified as Chinedu Okolo ‘m’ aged 31yrs of Ezhionum Community.
“One locally made double barrel pistol and the handset forcefully taken from the victim were recovered from them. Efforts are in progress to apprehend other fleeing suspects.
“CP Abaniwonda Olufemi cautions youths to shun all forms of criminality, cultism, and abuse of drugs.
“He reassured the public that the police would do due diligence in the relentless pursuit of those who seek to disrupt the collective peace of the state,” Edafe said.