The Delta State Police Command has arrested 10 suspected cultists and robbers in Warri and Sapele areas of the state.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Bright Edafe, stated this on Tuesday in Asaba.
He said, “Men of the patrol team of the ‘B’ Division, Warri, in conjunction with vigilantes, while on systematic patrol on Ogboro Street, Warri, sighted three boys with a bag.
“The boys, on sighting the police, ran in different directions and the police gave them a hot chase. One Ufuoma Ekpete, 21, was arrested in the process.
“When a search was conducted on him, a locally-made double-barrelled gun and one live cartridge were recovered.
“The suspect, Ufuoma Ekpete, led the police to arrest one Godday Ayamah, who allegedly gave the suspect the said gun.”
Edafe said the suspect also led the police to their hideout, a dilapidated building on Arubaye Street, where two other suspects, Ebimo Richard and Emeka Okoye, who earlier escaped, were apprehended.
Items recovered from them included one cutlass and a locally-made double-barrelled gun, while the suspects confessed to being members of the senior and junior Eiye Confraternity.
The PPRO also said police operatives foiled a kidnapping/armed robbery attempt on the waterway.
According to him, the police engaged some suspected kidnappers in a gun duel and when they could no longer withstand the superior firepower of the cops, jumped into the river and escaped with bullet wounds.
He said one pump action gun with live cartridge was recovered from them, while efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice were ongoing.
Edafe stated, “Sequel to intelligence gathered over a period of time that suspected kidnappers do come through the waterways in speedboats, kidnap victims and go back through the river.
“The Commissioner of Police, Delta State, Muhammed Ali, directed that proactive measures be put in place to put an end to the nefarious activities of these suspects.
“On May 23, 2021, suspected kidnappers came with a speedboat as usual with the intention of causing mayhem and kidnapping unsuspecting victims.
“Officers and men of the Oghara Division, in conjunction with local vigilantes, who had already put proactive measures in place, were strategically positioned on the ground to repel them.”
The PPRO added that four suspected robbers namely: Ebuka Onwudike, 25; Ismile Useni, 26; Oriole Omotuying, 29; and Laju Solomon, 21, all of Sapele, were arrested with 30 wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.
