Police in Delta have arrested 106 suspects for various offences ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping,murder,cultism , rape and defilement.

Briefing newsmen at the police headquarters of the Delta State Command in Asaba, the Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda said the police rescued 13 kidnapped victims, and recoverd 14 stolen vehicles .

CP Abaniwonda stated further that the police recoverd 5,612 ammunition and cartridges, 11 AK 47, nine Beretta pistols, 19 single barrel cut-to-size guns, 13 pump action guns and one G-3 rifle.

He solicited continuous support and collaboration with the police command to keep the state safe by reporting suspicious persons and movements to the nearest police .

The Delta Police Commissioner vowed that the command under his watch would continue to make the state hot for criminals by continuous proactive and intelligence driven policing.

”The command recorded immense success in the fight against crime and criminality, which has given rise to the massive recovery of sophisticated firearms, twelve suspected stolen vehicles, hard drugs and the arrest of suspects. Four members of a syndicate allegedly responsible for the kidnapping incidents so far recorded in ogwashi-uku, Ibusa, Issele-uku, Ubuluku, and environs have been killed in a gun duel with operatives of the command at a forest along Asaba/Agbor express road between Okpanam and Issele-Asagba axis of Delta State,and three AK-47 rifled were recoverd”, he said.

”Following the kidnap of a doctor at Issele-uku on the 6th of April 2025 and his release on the 7th of April 2025 after collecting a ransom of Fifteen Million Naira (#15,000,000) from the medical doctor and the driver. I directed the operatives of the CP-Special assignment team to embark on an intelligence led investigation. On 10/04/2025, they trailed and arrested one Abubakar Usman Popularly known as “Shehu” the gang leader of a deadly kidnapping syndicate and allegedly responsible for series of kidnapping at Ogwashi-uku, Ibusa, Ubuluku and environs and also responsible for the kidnap of the medical doctor and collected a ransom of Fifteen Million Naira (#15,000,000). They were also responsible for the kidnap of the wife and daughter of Mr. Godwin Anuka after killing him at Ogwashi-uku area as well. He confessed to being responsible for the kidnap of a realtor Esther Ojoh at Ibusa whose corpse was later found on the 25th March 2025. Acting on his confession at about 1100hours of 11th April 2025, the suspect led operatives to their hideout, a forest along Asaba/Agbor express road between Okpanam and Issele-Asagba where on the process of searching the Area, suspect raised an alarm and fled to join his waiting gang members. The gang members engaged the team in a fierce gun duel during which four of the suspects, including the said Usman Abubakar sustained serious gunshot injuries. Three AK-47 rifles, Ninety (90) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered. The injured suspects were taken to general hospital Ogwashi-uku, where they were all confirmed dead”, CP stated.

According to the Delta Police Commissioner, five other kidnapping suspects also lost their lives in a guel with police operatives in Ughelli axis of the state.

“Operatives of CP Special Assignment Team acting on intelligence trailed and arrested one Adamu Abubakar ‘m’ popularly known as ‘dogo’ who is the leader of a kidnapping syndicate at DSC roundabout Warri. The arrest and interrogation of this suspect led to the arrest of two other suspects, Abubakar Mohammed, popularly known as ‘chede’, and Mohammed Bellow at Otovwodo park in Ughelli North LGA. The suspects led the operatives to Iyamugo forest where their hidden weapons which includes one (1) AK-47 rifle, One (1) pump action gun, three (3) locally made guns, two magazines, sixty (60) rounds of Ak-47 live ammunition and seventeen (17) rounds of live cartridges were recovered. Upon exit from the forest, some hoodlums suspected to be their gang members engaged the Police in a gun duel during which five of the hoodlums sustained gunshot injuries while others escaped. The injured suspects were and later died while receiving treatment. The three suspects, and exhibit are in custody while investigation is ongoing”, he added.

Recoverd arms, ammunition, vehicles, drugs in over five sack bags , and other items were displayed at the police headquarters, Asaba.