The Delta State Police Command has arrested 52 suspects, including 34 alleged kidnappers, 12 cultists, two fraudsters, and four gunrunners, in a sweeping operation across Warri, Sapele, and Ughelli between September and October.
The operation led to the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition, including seven AK-47 rifles, one AK-49, one G3, six pump-action shotguns, nine locally made guns, 53 rounds of ammunition, and seven cutlasses. Additionally, the police recovered N5.5 million from suspected kidnappers and rescued three kidnapped victims.
Speaking at the parade of suspects in Ughelli, Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, credited the success to the strategic deployment of personnel, effective collaboration with Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), and proactive intelligence gathering under the leadership of Police Commissioner Olufemi Abaniwonda.
Since assuming office on February 1, 2024, CP Abaniwonda has prioritized the fight against kidnapping and armed robbery in key areas like Ughelli, Warri, and Sapele. According to Edafe, a special team led by ASP Julius Robinson was deployed to Ughelli with a clear mandate to collaborate with local DPOs and restore security.
One notable arrest occurred on September 12, when a kidnapping syndicate was apprehended in Sapele town. The group, identified as members of the Viking Confraternity, had been responsible for multiple kidnappings and robberies along the Warri-Sapele road. Recovered items included an AK-47 rifle and a Toyota Sienna used in their operations.
In a separate operation on September 17, police arrested Oghenetega, a known Viking member, at his residence in Sapele, seizing an AK-47 rifle, a G3 rifle, and a fabricated long gun. Another suspect, Ojoko Ijoyoto (aka Pikolo), was apprehended on September 25 after being on the police watchlist for three years. He was linked to the murder of the vice youth chairman of Mosogar town and a policeman along Warri-Sapele road.
The crackdown continued with the arrest of Tunde Akingbenomo, 32, a suspected cultist and armed robber, and Timothy Ochuko, a suspected kidnapper and fraudster, both apprehended in early October.
Police also raided a hideout in Ogor Forest on September 18, leading to a gun battle with suspected kidnappers. Two suspects were fatally wounded, and more arms were recovered.
The police have intensified their manhunt for other fleeing suspects as part of their ongoing efforts to combat crime in the state.
