By Odita Sunday
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, PSC, has reaffirmed the Command’s determination to stamp out kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and other violent crimes across the state, as he rolled out an impressive scorecard of achievements recorded from October to date.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, Asaba, CP Abaniwonda commended officers and men of the Command for their commitment to duty, intelligence-driven operations, and synergy with vigilante groups, which he said have yielded significant breakthroughs in crime prevention and law enforcement.
He said, “The Delta State Police Command under my leadership remains resolute in protecting the lives and property of Deltans. We have intensified operations against kidnappers, arms dealers, and cultists, and we are recording tangible results daily.”
Among the major breakthroughs, CP Abaniwonda highlighted the neutralisation of a suspected kidnapper and recovery of an AK-47 rifle with 12 rounds of live ammunition at Obinomba community, following a gun battle with operatives who rescued a kidnapped woman unhurt.
In another operation, operatives of the CP-Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT), acting on intelligence from the Force Technical Intelligence Unit, Abuja, arrested a female suspect, Jamila Abubakar, and a notorious arms peddler, Ahmed Ibrahim (31), linked to several high-profile kidnapping and armed robbery cases. Recovered from the suspects were over 350 rounds of ammunition, including AK-47 and SMG rounds, as well as a cash sum of ₦550,000 suspected to be proceeds of illegal arms deals.
The Command also recorded the arrest of suspected kidnappers in Anambra State and recovery of ₦4.1 million ransom, linked to the abduction of two victims in Asaba. The suspects, identified as Ndianefo Cypre (60), Onwe Sunday (49), and Uzoma Ifeanyi Chukwu, were apprehended through coordinated intelligence-led operations.
At Ughelli–Warri Road, the Eagle Net Special Squad intercepted a commercial bus where a locally made gun and walkie-talkie were recovered from a passenger. Similarly, Bomadi Division operatives recovered 178 live cartridges from a 62-year-old woman during a joint operation with local vigilantes.
The Command also rescued three kidnapped victims in Ubeji Community, Warri, after arresting seven suspects during a raid on an abandoned poultry house where the victims were held.
In Aviara community, Oleh Division detectives busted an Eiye cult cell, arresting two suspects, including an alleged cult leader, and recovering two locally made guns and six live cartridges.
The Command’s Rapid Response Squad arrested a gun runner, Mordi Emmanuel (45), along Asaba–Benin Expressway, recovering a fabricated Beretta pistol, a pump-action shotgun, and live ammunition from his residence.
In another major breakthrough, CP-SAT operatives at Ibusa apprehended a 45-year-old suspect, Okechukwu Okwudili Nwanolue, recovering a pump-action gun, laptops used for internet fraud, and fetish items from his residence. Two other armed robbery suspects were also arrested at Adheje community, where police recovered a locally made long gun and 11 ATM cards.
The Crack Squad equally nabbed two suspected drug peddlers — Igwe Samson (33) and Abalum Sunday (39) — at Effurun GRA, recovering 450 bottles of codeine syrup, 188 bottles of bargadine, 208 sachets of tramadol, and a large quantity of cannabis.
According to the Command’s statistics for the period under review:
”Firearms recovered: 13
”Ammunition and cartridges recovered: 591
”Kidnapped victims rescued: 5
”Suspects arrested: 77
” Vehicles recovered: 3
-“Ransom recovered: ₦4.1 million.”
CP Abaniwonda appealed to residents to continue providing credible information to aid policing efforts, assuring that the Command would remain proactive and ruthless against criminals.
He said, “We will sustain our operations, sharpen our intelligence, and ensure that no criminal finds refuge in Delta State. The safety of Deltans remains our top priority.”
He urged members of the public to report suspicious movements or persons to the nearest police station or contact the Command’s control room on 08036684974.