...Recovers N4 Million, AK-47 Rifles, Locally Made Guns, and Cartridges
By Sunday Apah
The police in Delta State have arrested seven kidnap suspects and a 49-year-old female child trafficker, and they have recovered N4 million, AK-47 rifles, magazines, locally made guns, cartridges, and other items at various locations in the state.
The State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, who made this known during a press briefing in Asaba, the state capital, on Thursday, stated that four of the suspects were arrested while the police were on stop-and-search duty.
He explained that on May 12, 2025, at about 9:30 AM, operatives of the Dragon Patrol Team, while conducting stop-and-search along the Kwale/Ozoro express road, intercepted a gold-colored Toyota Sienna bus loaded with passengers traveling from Ughelli to Asaba.
“Upon searching the vehicle, the sum of Three Million One Hundred Thousand Naira (#3,100,000) was recovered from four suspects, namely: Abubakar Alwalu, 25; Usman Husseini, 25; Adamu Mohammed, 30; and Anwalu Umaru, 23.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects belong to a gang of five and were allegedly responsible for the kidnapping of a woman at her house in Ughelli, where they held her captive for four days and collected a ransom of Four Million Naira (#4,000,000) on May 11, 2025.”
Also, on May 10, 2025, at about 5:59 PM, acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the CP-Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) trailed and arrested a suspected kidnapper and gang leader named Abdullahi Ibrahim, 22, of Ekenwa Community in Ovia North-East LGA of Edo State, at Ore Town in Ondo State.
“The suspect led the operatives to the arrest of another suspect and member of his gang known as Adamu Usman, 24, from Abeokuta, who was also taking refuge in Ore town.
“Upon interrogation, the suspects led operatives to a forest along the Ore-Lagos expressway, near a popular area called ‘Stepdown,’ where one AK-47 rifle loaded with fourteen (14) rounds of live ammunition and a locally made long gun with six (6) rounds of live cartridges were recovered.”
In another breakthrough, on May 12, 2025, at about 10:30 AM, acting on credible intelligence related to a kidnapping incident at Itego Community, Ibusa, where one man (name withheld) was kidnapped and an undisclosed amount was paid as ransom, the Commander of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad swiftly mobilized operatives and stormed Koka Junction in Asaba.
“One of the suspects, later identified as Lawal Tasiu, 26, a resident of FCT Abuja, was arrested after a hot chase.
“Upon searching the suspect, the sum of Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N900,000) was recovered from him.
“During interrogation, the suspect stated that he is a member of a syndicate terrorizing the Ibusa/Ogwashi-Uku/Issele-Azagbe areas, and the money in his possession was part of his share of the ransom collected.
“On May 13, 2025, at about 6:30 AM, the suspect led operatives to their hideout in the Issele-Azagba area, where one AK-47 rifle, one pump-action gun, two AK-47 magazines, and eighty-seven (87) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered.”
In another development, on April 7, 2025, at about 10:00 AM, the DPO of Ekpan Police Station received a complaint that a woman (name withheld), aged 20, had embarked on a business trip on February 16, 2025, with Mrs. Joy from Koko to Warri, Delta. While they were on their way, Mrs. Joy allegedly drugged the woman using juice, causing her to fall asleep, and then made away with her two-month-old baby boy.
“Acting on this information, the DPO of Ekpan Police Station embarked on an intelligence-led investigation, trailed, and arrested the suspect, Mrs. Joy Temitope Oyetimi, 49. After discreet interrogation, the suspect stated that indeed she was the one who stole the baby. The baby, who is now five months old, has been rescued and handed over to his parents,” it added.
