The Delta State Police Command and vigilance groups across the state have warned criminals to leave the state or face their wrath. With joint security operations that commenced recently, the police have declared war on criminals and vowed to take the battle to their hideouts everywhere in the state.
The first joint operation led to the arrest of 52 suspects. Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Mr. Muhammed Ali, who paraded the suspects, including robbers kidnappers, and rapists at the Command Headquarters, in Asaba, attributed the success recorded within the period to teamwork with vigilance groups in various communities across the state.
Ali, who warned criminals to repent, leave the state, or be ready to go to jail, vowed to carry the war to their dens.
Among the suspects paraded was Oniriode Oyiboehoro, the alleged author of the fake online report that led to the mob attack on policemen and setting ablaze of a police station and patrol van along PTI Expressway, Effurun. The suspects also included two alleged kidnappers, Ogaga Champion, 22, and Evans Emouariemu, 27, who were arrested in a forest behind Ophori Agbarho Community.
Ali said that Ogaga and Evans, on February 8, 2020, while on a motorcycle armed with a double-barrel gun, along Ehwerhe road, Agbarho, blocked the driver of a Lexus SUV, Emmanuel Piopo, pushed his girlfriend out of the vehicle, and abducted him. He added that the suspects, upon interrogation, admitted committing the crime.
Also paraded were four armed robbery suspects, Kingsley Okonji, Chiedu Sunday Awada, Edible Kingsley, and Francis Odiwanor, who were arrested by operatives of the police X-Squad in Otulu, Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state
According to Ali, when Okonji was arrested, he mentioned the names of the three others who were at are at large, and, upon interrogation, a 35-year-old Odiwanor, who claimed to be the owner of a road construction company, denied ever participating in an armed robbery.
He said various weapons, including pump-action guns, live cartridges, Barreta pistol, AK-47 magazines, eight stolen vehicles, and military camouflage uniforms, among others, were recovered from the suspects.
