The Delta State Police Command has warned political parties and campaign organisers against late notification of rallies, saying early communication with security agencies is necessary to prevent clashes and breakdown of law and order.
Key Highlights
- Police say they got intelligence three days before an APC-NDC rally in Uvwie, but could not reach organisers until 10 hours to the event.
- An AK-47 rifle was recovered after a mob attack on a man near Orumarho community, Effurun.
- The Commissioner of Police deployed officers from 5:00 a.m. on the rally day and later ordered ‘Operation Show of Force’ as tension rose.
- The victim, Collins Egbara, remains in protective custody and has yet to give a statement.
- Police say the gun’s ownership and the circumstances of its recovery remain under investigation.
The warning followed heightened tension between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political rally in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State on September 18, 2026, during which an AK-47 rifle was recovered.
The Command said it had received intelligence three days before the rally about the likelihood of a clash between supporters of the two parties, but could not establish contact with the organisers until September 17, less than 10 hours before the planned event.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the Command said it received written notifications from both APC and NDC supporters on September 17 concerning the rally scheduled for September 18 at Angle Park, Warri.
The parties were advised against using Angle Park as their convergence point and subsequently went their separate ways, according to the police.
Heavy Deployment As Tension Rises
The Command said that, despite the late notification, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Samuel Etaifo Erale, ordered the deployment of policemen to the proposed venue from about 5:00 a.m. on September 18 to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
The police said tension nevertheless heightened during the rally, with the possibility of a clash between supporters of the two parties prompting additional deployment of patrol teams under “Operation Show of Force.”
The situation was eventually brought under control, the Command said.
However, at about 11:30 a.m., patrol officers conducting the show-of-force operation reportedly saw a group of irate youths mobbing a man identified as Collins Egbara near an old building at Orumarho community, Effurun.
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AK-47 Recovered, Victim In Protective Custody
According to the police, Egbara had been beaten severely before officers intervened and rescued him from the mob.
The Command said it could not establish whether Egbara was affiliated with either of the political parties because he had not been able to give a statement.
He was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment, while a search of the premises where he was found led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle.
The police, however, cautioned against reports claiming that the firearm was voluntarily handed over to the Command, saying the circumstances surrounding its ownership, possession and recovery remained under investigation.
Egbara, the Command said, was still receiving treatment and remained in protective custody, adding that his statement would be obtained once he was stable.
“If found wanting and connected to the gun, he will be charged to court,” the police said.
The Commissioner of Police assured members of the public that the investigation would not be compromised and urged media organisations to verify information with the appropriate authorities before publication.
He also reiterated the need for political parties and campaign organisers to notify the Nigeria Police Force well ahead of rallies to enable adequate security arrangements and prevent possible clashes.
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