The Delta State Police Command has recently recorded major breakthroughs in its fight against crime and criminality in the State.
A press release signed by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed some of the crimes busted to include rape, illegal arms, stolen vehicles, kidnap and ATM card snatching.
According to the release, “the Command on November 8, 2021, at about 0010hrs, arrested one Ayuba Adavo ‘m’. He was arrested based on the strength of a case reported by a 25year old lady of Sapele-Warri road (name withheld), who reported that on same date at about 2000hrs, while she was along Amagiya road in Sapele, suddenly the suspect, who is age 34yrs blocked her way and dragged her to his room. He threatened to shoot her with a locally made cut-to-size gun and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her and that the suspect thereafter slept off because he was heavily drunk. The victim, on noticing that the suspect was fast asleep, sneaked out and ran to Sapele division where she reported the case. Consequently, patrol team/detectives were drafted to the scene. The suspect was promptly arrested. One locally-cut-to-size gun with one live cartridge was recovered from him. Investigation is ongoing.”
The Command also disclosed that “on November 7, 2021, at about 2200hrs, the Police patrol team attached to Sapele Division, while on operation show of force, saw a Toyota Camry spider car with reg. No.GRA 291 RL. being driven in a suspicious manner. The patrol in a convoy went after the said vehicle and chased it to Olympia area. The hoodlums on noticing that the police was chasing them opened fire on the teams which was replied by the police. The hoodlums who could not withstand the fire power of the police, abandoned the said vehicle and fled into the bush. Upon searching the vehicle, one locally made double-barrel pistol and five live cartridges were recovered. It was also disclosed that investigation has commenced and efforts were in top gear towards arresting the fleeing hoodlums.”
Also, “on the 7th November, 2021 at about 1200hrs, Police patrol team from Agbarho division, while on township patrol, sighted a grey colour Lexus 330 Jeep with Reg. No. KWL 841 BM. The driver, on noticing the police, reversed and sped off. The team trailed the escaping Lexus Jeep to Sobotie Street Agbarho where the suspected vehicle fell into a ditch.
“The suspects, quickly disembarked from the vehicle and ran into a nearby bush. One Mudia Efe ‘m’ of Abraka was rescued and he said that the hoodlums kidnapped him from Abraka and the vehicle which belongs to the victim was recovered. Manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing,” the release stated.
The command also reported the arrest of one Ojo Amos ‘m’ aged 38yrs of Agbara-Otor, Ughelli North LGA who specializes in stealing ATM cards from unsuspecting victims.
“On November 2, 2021 at about 1300hrs, upon a tip-off that the suspect was seen in a POS stand located beside First bank Ozoro branch, the DPO, Ozoro Division, detailed operatives who swung into action in conjunction with the chairman Olotu vigilante in Ozoro.
“They were deployed to the scene and arrested the suspect Ojo Amos ‘m’, with thirty-three (33) ATM cards. A cash sum of Fifty thousand Naira (#50,000) was recovered from him. The suspect confessed that he stole one of the cards from one Rufai Abdulahi at Zenith Bank, Kwale branch and left immediately.
“He said he later withdrew the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira (#250,000) from the victim’s account. Preliminary investigations later revealed that the suspect usually stays behind his victims at the ATM machine waiting and targeting people whom he feels are not too educated, old women/children and once he notices that they are having problem operating the ATM machine, he moves closer to them pretending to be a Bank staff trying to help them and in the process, he swaps the ATM card.
“Suspect also confessed that he watches them as they enter their ATM pins, memorizes it and after swapping the ATM cards, he uses either a POS stand or ATM machine to empty their bank accounts. He said he has been doing this for the past four years.
“The Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Ari Muhammed Ali FCIA, PSC(+) while urging members of the public to be law-abiding, also advised that they learn from the cases regularly reported by the command and also, for them to be vigilant when making use of their ATM cards and ensure that only uniformed bank staff are allowed to assist them when the need arises,” the statement added.
