The Delta State Police Command said it has apprehended suspected members of a kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate operating across multiple states.
It was learnt that the command also recovered a cache of deadly firearms, including two AK-47 rifles, a locally fabricated pump-action rifle, and over 40 rounds of live ammunition.
The arrests were part of two separate but coordinated operations led by the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) and the Safer Highway Patrol Unit.
The command said the operations underscore its renewed crackdown on violent crime and reaffirms its zero-tolerance stance against criminal activity within the state.
“On May 20, 2025, at approximately 5:35 pm, CP-SAT operatives arrested Abubakar Hassan, a 30-year-old male from Niger State but residing in Woji, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“Acting on credible intelligence, Hassan believed to be the leader of a notorious gang terrorizing Delta, Rivers, Imo, and Enugu States, was apprehended in connection with an earlier operation in which three accomplices were captured.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect led police to a forest along the Ozoro axis where officers recovered two AK-47 rifles, four AK-47 magazines, and 32 rounds of live ammunition.
“The Delta Police Command has intensified efforts to track and arrest the remaining gang members and recover more weapons.
Read also:
- Niger Police rescue 4 kidnap victims after intense security operation
- Police Commissioner calls for calm after deadly attack in Taraba communities
- Delta Police nab kidnap syndicate, recover N3.5m ransom
“In a separate operation on the same day at about 4:30 pm, the Safer Highway Patrol Unit intercepted a vehicle during a routine stop-and-search operation on Ughelli Road. The search led to the arrest of Obi Ezekiel, 38, from Kogi State.
“The police recovered one locally fabricated revolver, a pump-action single-barrel rifle, 15 live cartridges, and one can of chemical mess spray teargas
“Preliminary investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the suspect’s involvement in criminal activities.
“Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi, praised the professionalism and vigilance of the officers involved.
“He stressed that such strategic operations will continue relentlessly until all criminal syndicates are dismantled.
“Our message is clear: there is no hiding place for criminals in Delta State. We are tracking all threats and acting decisively,” Olufemi stated.
He urged the public to remain calm and actively support law enforcement efforts by sharing timely and credible information.
