…Lists Achievements Recorded By The Command So Far
By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, on Thursday, May 2, during a press briefing he hosted at the Force Headquarters, Asaba, said the Command deemed it fit to intimate the general public of some of the successes recorded by the command in crime fighting within the past months.
CP, Abaniwonda in his remarks said, not quite long ago he did brief the press concerning the achievements recorded in Ughelli which was due to the strategic deployment to that area.
He said the squad, currently stationed in Ughelli through a high density operation, has so far successfully arrested six suspected kidnappers, recovered one Pump action gun, three berretta pistols, one revolver pistol, one locally made cut-to-size gun, and they have also rescued three kidnapped victim from their captors.
The Commissioner gave some of the achievements to include the death of a kidnapper and rescue of two kidnapped victim.l and recovery of one AK-47 rifle.
According to the police boss; “On April 26, 2024, at about 0900hours, the Command got intelligence report that some suspected kidnappers were hibernating at Okuno, Orogun Ughelli North LGA, where they were hiding alongside some of their kidnapped victims, I directed the DPO Abraka Division to lead Police operatives to their hideout.
The DPO swiftly mobilized police operatives alongside members of the Abraka vigilantes, and hunters group, stormed the bush and engaged the suspected kidnappers in a fierce gun duel during which one of the suspect sustained serious gunshot injuries while others escaped. One AK-47 rifle, and eleven (11) rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered. The two kidnapped victims (name withheld) were rescued unhurt and have been reunited with their families, while the injured suspect was taken to the hospital where he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment. Manhunt for the other fleeing suspects is ongoing”.
The State Commissioner of Police further disclosed that the Command also arrested a suspect that is involved in infanticide. He said, “On April 28, 2024, a case of infanticide was reported at Oleh Division, that a suspect named Sofia Nkwor ‘f’ (24) from Isoko south LGA, dump her child of one year and one month old in a well along the road in Araya community Isoko south LGA. Children who went to play around the tree discovered the abandoned child floating on the well. The mother Sofia Nkwor was immediately arrested and she stated that she dump the child on 26th April 2024. Suspect is in custody and investigation is ongoing”.
The command also arrested three suspected notorious car snatchers and recovers 12 suspected stolen vehicles
Briefing the press, the CP ssid, on April 11, 2024, at about 1632hrs following information received from an informant that his unregistered Toyota Corolla Saloon Car was stolen from where it was parked beside F&T Plaza Oruwhorun and that the said Toyota Corolla car was sighted along Eku/Warri Road by Oha Junction in Okpe LGA.
Abaniwonda said that on his directive, the DPO Orerokpe swiftly mobilized patrol teams alongside members of Oha local vigilantes and one Dickson Omage “m” (47) of Post Office Road Effurun Warri was arrested and the car recovered with a master key. Further investigation and interrogation of the suspect led to the arrest of two other suspects one Samson Ekwunwa ‘m’ (40) and one Kanebi Michael ‘m’ (39) in Benin city on April 19, 2024.
He noted that the two suspects specializes in removing old chassis/engine numbers and replacing them with new ones before putting the vehicles for sale and equally demobilizing vehicles with car trackers.
A total of twelve (12) suspected stolen vehicles have been recovered from Benin City and Warri respectively. Investigation is ongoing.
In another development, the command also swept on a suspect that produces fake alcoholic drinks such as Gordon’s, Chelsea, McDowells and Eagle Schnapps. The Police boss said on April 25, 2024, at about 1100hours, the Command received an intelligence report about a suspect who produces fake alcoholic drinks in Bomadi. I directed the DPO Bomadi Division to work on the intel and ensure that the suspect is tracked down, arrested and brought to book. In compliance with my directive, the DPO Bomadi division led operatives to the hideout where one Chiemenam Adigwe ‘m’ (45) a native of Akpo community in Aguata LGA, Anambra State, was arrested with over hundred bottles of Gordons, Chelsea, Eagle Schnapps and McDowell’s recovered. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect mixes ethanol with water and adds flavor to it, then package these fake drinks in empty bottles of Gordons, Chelsea, and McDowell’s which he usually buys from Onitsha. Suspect also stated that when he supplies to his customers, he tell them he usually order the drinks from Onitsha. Suspect is in custody and investigation is ongoing.
Other breakthrough he said included the arrest of suspected kidnappers and rescue of a kidnap victim. He said sequel to a case of kidnapping reported at the ‘A’ Division, Ughelli by the husband of a kidnapped victim (name withheld), who was abducted along Isoko Road Ughelli by unknown hoodlums demanding for Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (#2,500,000) as ransom for the victim’s release, I detailed the special team in Ughelli to go all out for the suspected kidnappers and rescue the kidnap victim. On 22/4/2024 at about 1430 hrs, the team alongside members of the vigilantes stormed Eruemukohwarian Community in Ughellli North LGA of Delta State suspected to be the hoodlums hideout. On sighting the teams, the hoodlums took to their heels, abandoning the victim who was rescued unhurt. However, after a painstaking investigation, two (2) suspects; Edafe Akporere ‘m’ (27) of Eruemukohwarian Community in Ughelli North LGA of Delta State and Igho Midiraya ‘m’ (34) of Uvwiamughe-Agbarho in Ughellli North LGA of Delta State who were later identified as the gang leader, and tricycle rider of the syndicate respectively were arrested. The suspects has been identified by the victim. Effort is been intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.
The police alos arrested suspected cultist, recovers three locally made cut to size guns and four live cartridges. He revealed that
on 24/04/2024, at about 1100hrs, the command’s crack surveillance team while on observation patrol within the Ogwashi-Uku area, flagged down a suspicious motorcycle with three (3) male occupants. On sighting the team, they took to their heels but after a hot chase by the team, one of the suspects was arrested with a bag. Upon search of the bag, one Locally Made Pistol was recovered. During the course of investigation, a search warrant was executed in the premises of the suspect during which two (2) additional locally made Pistols and four (4) live cartridges were recovered. Investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile the police also arrested three suspected armed robbers and recovers a stolen tricycle. On January 26, 2024, at about 2030hrs, the DPO Orerokpe division received a distress call from a tricycle rider that three young men who chartered him for a drop to Ugolo community in Okpe LGA stabbed him on his head and his back before snatching his tricycle. On receipt of this complaint, the DPO led policemen to the scene and combed the area in search of the hoodlums. Acting on a technically generated intelligence, on April 18, 2024, the tricycle was recovered in Katsina State and the suspect; one Suleiman Umar ‘m’ (28) was arrested. Further investigation and interrogation of the suspect led to the arrest of two of his gang members namely; Mohammed Sani ‘m’ and Surajo Yakubu ‘m’ all of Hausa quarters Warri. Investigation is ongoing.
On April 24, 2024, at about 1445hrs, operatives of Eagle Net Special Unit while on routine patrol along Oviri-Ogor road Ughelli, flagged down a motorcycle. Upon search, a sizeable quantity of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp was recovered. This necessitated the arrest of the 38 yrs old motorcycle rider, Orji Timothy of No. 21 Olotu Street Ughelli. The operatives further extended their search to the suspect’s residence, where a Locally Made Double Barrel Pistol with Two Live Cartridges, Twenty Sachets of 100mg Tramadol, One Sachet of Swinol, and Two Cutlasses were recovered. Again, on April 22, 2024 at about 0300 hrs, the DPO Ovwian Aladja division received a distress call that a suspected armed robber in Udu attacked and stole a motorcycle from the owner in Udu LGA. The DPO swiftly mobilized and led a team of Police operatives to the scene, cordoned off the area and one Anthony Odumegwu, (44) ‘m’ was arrested and the motorcycle recovered and oneEnglish made Beretta pistol recovered. Suspect is in custody and investigation is ongoing.
The CP assures Nigerians in general and Deltans in particular that the policing strategies adopted in Ughelli will be replicated in other areas where we might be having similar challenges. “My promise to the good people of Delta State remain the same which is to ensure that Deltans sleep with their two eyes closed”.
He said; “For any distress situation that bothers on security, kindly report at the nearest police station, or the command headquarters through the Control room numbers on 08036684974, 08125958005, and 09053872287, thank you and God bless.