…arrest suspected cultist, recovers locally made gun
Juliana Francis
The Delta State Police Command has arrested suspected child traffickers, rescued a two-year-old child, and recovered a locally made gun.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe said that the child was playing outside with other children when the traffickers grabbed him.
He also said that two suspects, Mallam Sa’ad Ahmed Baba 57, and Halima Abubakar, 25, have been arrested in connection with the crime. Edafe said that the child was rescued at the Issele-Asagba area of the state, where the traffickers went to hide him.
Edafe said: “On 3rd of August 2023, at about 11:am, the Command received information from a resident of Jaret in Asaba, that on 2nd of August 2023, her two-year-old child Ridwan Ibrahim went missing while playing with other children in the compound of her sister whom she went to visit.
“Based on this information, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, Wale Abass, detailed operatives of the Special Investigations Bureau to embark on an intelligence-led investigation.
“The team swung into action, analyzing the phone conversation of some suspected person. Consequently, on 3rd of August 2023, two suspects namely Mallam Sa’ad Ahmed Baba of No. 12 Lagos Street, Cable Point Asaba, and Halima Abubakar of Jaret Cable Point Asaba were arrested, and the child was rescued at Issele-Asagba where they hid the child. The investigation is ongoing.”
In another development, the Delta State Police on the 3rd of August of 2023, at about 7:am, received information that one Ifeoma Sunday aka COCO, a suspected cultist who has been terrorising Aghalokpe community and also wanted for his involvement in earlier reported cases of attempted murder, arson, armed robbery, was sighted in the community parading with a gun.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Orerokpe mobilised and led patrol teams to the community where the suspect was arrested and one locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun, and one expended cartridge were recovered from him.
The suspect and exhibit are in custody while the investigation is ongoing.
CP Abass urged parents and guardians to be cautious and pay close attention to their children and wards so as not to fall victim.
He also assured residents that the Command will not allow these criminal syndicates to thrive in the State. He therefore called for support from members of the public especially in the area of providing credible, timely, and useful information that will aid in crime fighting to the Police.
