The Delta State Police Command has made significant progress in the fight against crime by recovering firearms, ransom money, and other incriminating items from suspected kidnappers during a raid in Ughelli South Local Government Area. The police also arrested five suspects believed to be involved in various kidnapping and armed robbery operations in the region.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Delta Command, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed that the police recovered one single-barrel gun, three locally made cut-to-size guns, N450,000 in ransom money, two Point of Sale (POS) machines, and wraps of Indian hemp during the operation.
According to Edafe, the operation was carried out on September 12, 2024, around 1:30 a.m. after police officers from the Ughelli Area Command received a tip-off about a criminal hideout located in a brothel in Ewu town, Ughelli South. Acting swiftly on the information, the police stormed the hideout and apprehended five suspects identified as Dominic Uweru, alias Ovwolo (48); Isaac Oghenerukevwe, alias Plug (34); Oviri Godstime (25); Junior Sunday; and Efedeki Adjovo.
During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being involved in multiple armed robbery and kidnapping operations in Ughelli and nearby areas. They also admitted to the recent kidnapping of a 70-year-old woman on September 8, 2024. The suspects revealed that they had collected N7.9 million in ransom the following day before releasing the elderly victim.
All five suspects are currently in police custody, and investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of their criminal activities.
In a related development, the Aboh Police Division, while conducting a routine stop-and-search operation on September 9, 2024, intercepted a motorcycle carrying two individuals. When police attempted to search the occupants, one of them fled, leaving behind a bag containing 930 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition. The police arrested the remaining suspect, identified as Anthony Godday, and are continuing their investigation.
Furthermore, on the same day, officers from Agbarho Police Station, acting on a tip-off, raided the residence of 43-year-old Ovoke Enaike in Ehwerhe Village. A search of his Daylong motorcycle revealed a locally made gun, a live cartridge, and 38 rounds of AK-47 rifle ammunition hidden under the motorcycle seat. Enaike is currently in custody, and police are intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining members of his gang.
The PPRO also reported another breakthrough on September 9, 2024, when the CP Monitoring Team, led by SP Inyere Elias Chinedu, arrested two suspected car thieves on the Asaba-Benin Expressway. The suspects, identified as Olisa Emenoha (26) and Iteke Uchenna Wilson (26), both from Anambra State, were caught in possession of two stolen vehicles—a Toyota Corolla and a Toyota Camry. Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the cars had been stolen at gunpoint in Akwa Ibom State.
SP Edafe assured the public that the Delta State Police Command remains committed to ensuring the safety of residents by pursuing and arresting criminals across the state.
“We are making significant strides in curbing crime in the state, and we will continue to act on credible information to bring these criminals to justice,” he said.