The Delta State Police Command says it has arrested two sets of suspects, including an alleged armed robber found with a Beretta pistol during a stop-and-search operation in Asaba, and an ex-convict who returned to crime just five days after completing a jail term.
In a statement on Monday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Edafe Bright, said the operations, which were led by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and the Eagle-Net Special Squad, were part of Commissioner of Police Olufemi Abaniwonda’s intelligence-driven, proactive policing strategy to tackle crime across the state.
The statement said the first arrest occurred around 5:11 am on August 16, 2025, when RRS operatives, on stop-and-search duty along DBS Road, Asaba, intercepted one Bassey Udoh, a 39-year-old resident of Custom Market.
“The suspect, on sighting the policemen, became visibly uncomfortable, which raised suspicion. A search of his cross bag led to the recovery of an English Beretta pistol,” Edafe said.
Police investigators reportedly discovered that Udoh belongs to a robbery syndicate known for breaking into homes and carting away valuables.
The suspect allegedly confessed to purchasing the pistol for ₦30,000. He is currently in custody while investigations continue.
In a separate operation, on August 11, 2025, around 3:30 pm, operatives of the Eagle-Net Special Squad, working in collaboration with members of the Nigeria Hunters Security Services (NHSS), arrested an ex-convict identified as Precious Okoro, 27, alongside his alleged accomplice, Buhari Deyegu, 18.
The police said the suspects were apprehended following a distress call over a stolen motorcycle.
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The stolen bike was immediately recovered during the arrest.
Further checks revealed that Okoro had only just regained freedom on August 6, 2025, from the Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Facility after serving a two-year sentence for stealing a motorcycle.
“Shockingly, within five days of release, the suspect went back to his old ways and stole another motorcycle,” Edafe stated.
A follow-up search conducted at his residence reportedly led to the recovery of a Tiger generator, a large Fireman generator, and an iron measuring scale, suspected to be stolen items.
The police vowed to sustain the clampdown on criminals across Delta State and warned that both first-time offenders and repeat ex-convicts would face the full weight of the law.
