A specialised team of police operatives, commissioned by Delta State’s Commissioner of Police, Olufeni Abaniwonda, to intensify the battle against criminal activities within the state, successfully raided the hideouts of suspected kidnappers in Sapele and Ughelli areas.
Delta State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, in a statement to journalists in Warri at the weekend, said the specialised team, under the leadership of ASP Julius Robinson, apprehended six individuals suspected of involvement in kidnapping, and rescued three individuals who had been kidnapped.
The PPRO said that during the operation, the team confiscated one pump-action gun, three Barretta pistols, one revolver pistol, and one locally-crafted, cut-to-size firearm.
“On April 17, 2024, at about 2330hrs, while working on the credible intelligence received about a syndicate of armed robbers terrorising Ughelli and its environs, ASP Julius Robinson led his team, in a sting operation, stormed Sapele Town and arrested the leader of one of the suspected syndicate, known as Ibrahim Usman, a 35-year-old male indigene of Abaji Town, Kogi State,” Mr Edafe said.
“The following day, at about 0530hours, the suspect led the operatives to Itsekiri Road area of Sapele town, where two of his gang members, Joseph Aondohbmba (22), of Gbeji community in Logo local government area of Benue State and Collins Ovo, alias Gbegbes (23), male suspect from Adeji community in Okpe LGA, Delta State, were nabbed.
“On April 24, 2024, at approximately 0730 hours, ASP Julius Robinson’s team conducted another operation in the Ogorode area of Sapele town, resulting in the arrest of Daniel Okete (32), a resident of Sapele, originally from Jesse community in Ethiope-West LGA.
“A Barretta pistol was recovered from Okete’s residence, which he admitted to purchasing from Goodluck Sokutu, currently in custody.
“Okete confessed to holding the position of third-in-command within the ‘Eiye Confraternity’ in Sapele.
“Subsequently, on April 25, 2024, around 1000 hours, acting on information provided by a detained gun runner, Goodluck Sokutu, police operatives discovered another Barretta pistol concealed at an uncompleted building in the Amukpe area of Sapele.”
In a separate incident, following a kidnapping report at the ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, ASP Julius Robinson and his team were tasked with a special assignment.
The New Diplomat recalls that on April 22, 2024, a joint operation between police operatives and vigilante groups targeted the Eruemukohwarian community in Ughelli North LGA.
The security teams successfully rescued the victim unharmed and arrested two suspects, Edadfe Akporere (27) and Igho Midiraya (34), after a pursuit.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwonda, commended the officers and team members for their dedication in combating crime in the Ughelli and Sapele areas.
He assured the public that these efforts would serve as a warning to criminals, emphasising the commitment to apprehend and prosecute offenders according to the law.
