The Delta State Police Command has said its operatives arrested 16 suspects and recovered a pump-action gun, a locally made pistol, a stolen Toyota Camry and quantities of suspected illicit drugs in separate operations across the state.
The operations, according to the command’s spokesman Bright Edafe, also disrupted a suspected cult gathering, foiled an alleged extortion attempt at a construction site and led to the arrest of two suspects in connection with a stolen vehicle.
In Aragba-Orogun, Edafe, a Superintendent of Police, said operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit, Ozoro, acting on intelligence about a proposed cult gathering, arrested eight suspects.
He said the suspects were identified as Godspower Achubue, 27; Ziden Edem, 27; Kingsley Aniefem, 36; Omita John, 22; Onumu Happy, 22; Kenneth Ukpurakpo, 22; Juliet Festus, 26; and Oghenegueke Okuanah, 22.
The spokesman said a search warrant executed at one suspect’s residence led to the recovery of a pump-action gun and one live cartridge.
He said the investigation was ongoing.
Edafe said, ‘At a construction site in Okpanam on September 8, operatives responded to a report that some persons had allegedly stopped workers, seized their tools and demanded N700,000 before allowing work to continue.
‘The police arrested Collins Dunkun, 30, while six other suspects fled. A search of the suspect led to the recovery of a locally made single-barrelled pistol and one cartridge. Efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects are ongoing.’
He also that on September 8, operatives of the Divisional Surveillance Team raided an uncompleted building at King Zanga, Ugbuegwai Community, Warri, following intelligence on suspected illicit drug activities.
He said operatives arrested five suspects: Rabi’u Salihu, 26; Salisu Suleiman, 23; Rabilu Ali, 24; Alhassan Mohd Mansur, 28; and Aliyu Abubakar, 25.
Edafe said quantities of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, Codeine, Colorado, Rizla, SK and Canadian Loud were recovered from the scene.
He further said that in another operation, Ekpan Division operatives recovered a brown Toyota Camry Pencil Light, with registration number BEN-572BT, reportedly stolen in Benin City on September 7.
The spokesman said the vehicle was traced to the New Era area of Jakpa Road, Ekpan, where the police laid an ambush and arrested Destiny Suleman, 41, and Samuel Ejiro, 21.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, warned that cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, extortion, illicit drug activities and other criminal acts would not be tolerated in the state.
Erale assured residents that the command would continue to adopt proactive measures to prevent crime, dismantle criminal networks and bring offenders to justice.