…recovers gun
The Delta State Police Command has smashed a six-man kidnapping gang and arrested a kingpin and a Point-of-Sale Operator (POS) in the state.
The spokesman for the Command, Bright Edafe, who said that the command recorded another breakthrough in the fight against crime and criminality, explained the first breakthrough was recorded on the 15th of June 2023, when a victim of kidnapping and armed robbery reported at Ovwian Aladja Police Station that he was intercepted by some suspected kidnappers who abducted him and his wife and put them in the trunk of their car,
Edafe said: “The kidnappers drove them to an unknown destination, where they emptied his bank account through bank transfer before releasing them. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ovwian Aladja Police Station discovered that a similar case was also reported on the 7th of April 2023 by another victim, and coincidentally, the modus operandi of the suspects was the same.
“The DPO Ovwian Aladja Division, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Aliyu Shaba, detailed detectives to carry out a discreet and intelligence-led investigation and ensure that these suspects were arrested and brought to book. On the 20th of May 2023, following a series of intelligence-led investigations, the detectives arrested a POS operator whose account these hoodlums always transfer money from their victims’ accounts.
“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’ age 33yrs on 1st June 2023. The suspect led the police to the houses of other gang members and also to the house of one Akporido Stanley, 56, who hides weapons for them. One locally made gun and three live cartridges were recovered. Suspects are in custody, and investigation is ongoing.”
The command in another development on the 3rd of June intercepted a tricycle rider carrying guns.
It was gathered that Police operatives attached to Ekpan Police Station were on stop-and-search duty when they intercepted a tricycle carrying four occupants.
One of the passengers jumped and escaped and when the tricycle was searched, one locally made cut-to-size gun and four live cartridges were recovered. However, his other two accomplices, namely, Ogheneovo Abednego,17, and Chidi Okpanachi, 31, were arrested, though they claimed the gun belonged to their friend who escaped. The investigation is ongoing.
Edafe also said: “ On 2nd of June, the DPO Ozoro police division received a distress call from a victim whose motorcycle was stolen some time ago that he sighted his motorcycle at a filling station in Ozoro. Operatives were quickly mobilized, and they arrested the duo of Chibuike Ochula, 30 and Izuchi Uzochi, 20 and the motorcycle recovered. The suspects later led the police operatives to Kwale, where three other stolen motorcycles were recovered. Suspects are in custody, and investigation is ongoing.”
Edafe said the many feats achieved in the state were because the command refused to rest in its fight to curb the activities of kidnappers and armed robbers in Delta State.
He added: “Officers and men of the Command have keyed into the proactive policing of the 21st Commissioner of Police Delta State, CP Wale Abass who has since vowed that residents must sleep with their two eyes close, and also ensure that the state is secured so that residents and investors can go about their lawful businesses without fear.”
Abass commended officers and men of the command for their resolute in fighting crime, and he also encouraged 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.
