…Recovers Guns, Vehicles, Others
By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
The police in Ovwian/Aladja Division have stepped up its fight against criminal activities in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State and environs following the strict directives of the Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass of ridding the state free of crime.
In lieu of the CP’s directives, the DPO, Ovwian/Aladja Division, CSP Aliyu Shaba and operatives of the division fearlessly and fiercely took the fight to the criminals den as operatives bursts into their hide outs to track them down.
With the consistency on intelligence gathering and zeal to bring crime to its barest minimum, CSP Shaba, on May 15, 2023, following a complaint by a victim (name withheld) of kidnapping/armed robbery and reported at the Ovwian Aladja Police station that he, (the victim) was intercepted by some suspected kidnappers who abducted him and his wife and put them in the trunk of their car, drove them to an unknown destination, where they emptied his bank account through bank transfer before releasing them.
DPO Aliyu Shaba with his experience and intelligence, discovered that a similar case was also reported on April 7, 2023 by another victim and observed that the modus operandi of the suspects were the same, and the DPO detailed detectives to carry out a discreet and intelligence led investigation and ensure that these suspects are arrested and brought to book.
Their intelligence gathering however paved way on May 20, 2023, as the detectives arrested a POS operator (name withheld) whose account the hoodlums often transferred ransom from their victims account.
The POS operator who claimed ignorance of the antecedents of these suspects cooperated and availed the police with credible information that led to the arrest of the gang leader named Adim Lucky Onweiyali ‘m’ (33) on June 1, 2023.
The suspect led the police to the houses of other gang members and also to the house of one Akporido Stanley ‘m’ (56), who hide weapons for the criminals.
One locally made gun, and three live cartridges were recovered and suspects kept in custody as investigation is ongoing.
Similarly, the police in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area on Jume 3, 2023, while on stop and search duty, intercepted a tricycle carrying four occupants.
One of the passengers jumped and escaped upon seeing the police and when the tricycle was searched, one locally made cut-to-size gun and four live cartridges were recovered.
His other two accomplices, namely Ogheneovo Abdnego ‘m’ (17) and Chidi Okpanachi ‘m’ (31) were both arrested, though they claimed the gun belong to their friend who escaped, but police is still investigating, just as police have arrested two armed robbery gang that specializes in snatching motorcycles from their owners.
One Chibuike Ochula ‘m’ (30) and Izuchi Uzochi ‘m’ (20) were arrested and later led police operatives to Kwale, where three other stolen motorcycles were recovered.
CP Wale Abass commends officers and men of the command for their resolute in fighting crime, and he also encourages residents of the state to trust the police and report any suspicious happening around them. He also noted that in the arrest of the six man kidnapping syndicate by the Ovwian Aladja Division, the command was able to arrest them because their victims refused to chicken out and he commended the victims for trusting the police and taking the bold step to report the matter.