The police arrested 52 suspects and confiscated ammunition and cash

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested no fewer than 52 crime suspects in Ughelli, Warri and Sapele areas in the last few weeks.

This announcement was made by CP Olufemi Abaniwonda through the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, during a parade of the suspects in Ughelli on Wednesday.

Those arrested include 34 suspected kidnappers, 12 cult members, two fraudsters and four arms smugglers. A significant cache of weapons was recovered from the suspects, including seven AK-47 rifles, one AK-49, one G3 rifle, six pump-action rifles, nine light machine guns (LMG), 16 Beretta pistols, 35 cartridges, 53 shot of ammunition and seven cutlasses. In addition, police recovered a £5.5 million ransom and rescued three kidnapped victims.

On September 12, 2024, based on intelligence on a kidnapping syndicate terrorizing the Sapele-Warri road, the CP Special Assignment Team conducted an undercover operation in Sapele town which resulted in the arrest of four suspects – Bakpor Isaiah (34) , Victor (31). ), Ogheneochukwu Emmanuel (47) and Godspower Clifford (19) – all reportedly members of the Viking Brotherhood.

Preliminary investigations revealed that they were linked to a series of kidnappings and armed robberies along the Warri-Sapele road. A Toyota Sienna, which was used as an emergency vehicle, was also confiscated.

On September 18, at around 3:40 a.m., the CP Special Assignment Team identified a suspected kidnapper hideout in Ogor Forest. Upon arrival, the suspects engaged in a gun battle with police, during which two suspects sustained gunshot wounds.

Death was later confirmed at a local hospital. Police recovered a pump-action gun, a locally made tailored gun and nine rounds of live cartridges from the scene. The search for the remaining suspects is ongoing.

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On October 5, 2024, 42-year-old Timothy Ochuko was arrested on suspicion of fraud. After an intelligence investigation, it emerged that he was also involved in a kidnapping. On October 7, ₦500,000 was withdrawn from his bank account, representing part of his share of ₦1.1 million from a ₦4 million ransom collected from a victim he met on September 25, 2024 in Ughelli had kidnapped.

In a similar case, on September 17, 2024, officers arrested 33-year-old Oghenetega, also a member of the Viking Brotherhood, in Ogorode, Sapele. An AK-47 rifle, a G3 rifle and a fake long gun were found during a search of his home.

Following the killing of Mosogar Town Youth Deputy Chairman and a police officer along Warri-Sapele Road, the intelligence agency revealed the identity of the suspect who had been on the command’s watch list for over three years. On September 25, 2024, CP SAT operatives arrested Ojoko Ijoyoto alias Pikolo (29) in Mosogar and recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with six rounds of live ammunition from his residence.

On October 5, 2024, at about 2:05 p.m., officers arrested Tunde Akingbenomo (32) at his residence in Ogharaefe, Ethiope East LGA.

A search uncovered a locally manufactured weapon and led the team to an unfinished building where two manufactured Beretta automatic pistols were discovered. SP Edafe confirmed that all these cases are under investigation, stressing the commitment of the Delta State Police Command in combating crime in the area.