The Delta State Police Command has arrested five suspects involved in kidnapping, robbery, and cultism.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Edafe Bright, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
The statement revealed that three suspects, Yakubu Ya’u, 20, Musa Yakubu, 25, and a Cameroonian, Abdulahi Mohammed, 38, were arrested for kidnappings in some areas of the state.
It read, “Intelligence gathered on some kidnapping incidents in the Warri axis revealed that it is being carried out by one suspect named Yakubu Ya’u, a 20yrs suspect who resides in Kaduna, but always comes to Oha and Ughwagba Communities in Okpe LGA, to kidnap unsuspecting residents for ransom.
“On 11/05/24 at about 1743hrs, following combined effort from police operatives of the command and operatives from the Force Intelligence Unit, Abuja, on the hideout of the suspect, the DPO Orerokpe, CSP Paul Oboware, immediately mobilized and led his patrol teams to his hideout in Warri, and after a painstaking search of the entire area, the said Yakubu Ya’u was arrested.
“Preliminary investigation and interrogation of the suspect led to the arrest of two other key gang members: one Musa Yakubu ‘m’ age 25yrs from Kogi State and one Abdulahi Mohammed ‘m’ age 38yrs from Cameroon on 12/05/24 at about 1049hrs.”
The statement added that victims also identified the suspects, who led detectives to Ughwagba Community in Okpe LGA, where two automatic pump action guns, one live cartridge, and one knife, hidden and buried in the bush, were recovered.
The command also stated that investigations are still ongoing and that efforts are being made to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.
It was also reported that in an arrest on May 10, 22-year-old Michael Udo was arrested by policemen attached to the Ozoro division.
A locally made revolver gun and two live cartridges were said to have been found during a search of his house, and an investigation is ongoing.
The statement further read that one Chinedu Okolo, 31, was arrested on Tuesday in Obiaruku after a distress call about forced cult initiation.
It read, “On 14/5/2024 at 0300hr, the DPO Obiaruku Division received a report from a distress caller, that he was being bullied and forced into a cult initiation.
“On the strength of the complaint, the DPO Obiaruku mobilised police operatives and arrested the suspect identified as Chinedu Okolo ‘m’ aged 31yrs of Ezhionum Community.”
A locally made double-barreled pistol and the victim’s stolen phone were said to have been recovered during the operation, as efforts are on to arrest other fleeing suspects.
PUNCH Online reported in March that the command similarly announced the arrest of two suspected kidnappers and four suspected cultists in separate operations.
