Police recover guns, ransom from suspected Delta kidnappers

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have recovered one single barrel gun, three locally made cut-to-size guns, the sum of N450,000 being ransom money, two POS machines, and wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp from suspected kidnappers in their hideouts in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.

This was contained in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, SP Bright Edafe, in Warri on Tuesday.

The statement noted that on September 12, 2024, at about 0130hrs, a crack squad attached to the Area Command, Ughelli, while acting on a tip-off,  stormed a brothel cum criminal hideout in Ewu town Ughelli South LGA and arrested five suspected kidnappers.

The suspects were named Dominic Uweru alias Ovwolo (48), Isaac Oghenerukevwe alias Plug (34), Oviri Godstime (25), Junior Sunday and Efedeki Adjovo.

During interrogations, all the suspects confessed to various armed robbery/kidnapping operations in Ughelli and its environs, including the kidnap of a 70-year-old woman (name withheld) who they kidnapped on September 8 and collected the sum of N7.9m the following day before her release.

Meanwhile, the suspects are in police custody while investigation is ongoing.

In another development, on September 9, at about 1330hrs, the anti-crime patrol team of the Aboh Police Division, while on a stop-and-search duty in Aboh town, intercepted one motorcycle conveying two occupants carrying a bag.

While the occupants were being subjected to a routine search, one of them took to his heels and escaped but a total of 930 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered in the bag.

The police immediately arrested the other suspect, Anthony Godday.

The PPRO stated that investigation is ongoing.

Also, acting on credible information, operatives of Agbarho Police Station stormed the house of one Ovoke Enaike, aged 43 years, an indigene of Ovierie Ethiope East Local Government Area but resides in Ehwerhe Village, Agbarho.

During the search of his Daylong motorcycle with Reg. NO:  DTS XLEH 13 WL,  a nylon bag containing one locally fabricated gun, one live cartridge  and 38 rounds of AK 47 rifle ammunition were recovered from where they were hidden under the motorcycle seat.

The police said the suspect was presently in Agbarho police custody as efforts were on top gear to arrest the remaining gang members and recover more arms.

The PPRO explained that the case would be transferred to the state headquarters in Asaba, just as a preliminary investigation was in progress.

In the same vein, on September 9, 2024  at about 1745hrs on credible intelligence, the Commander, CP Monitoring team, SP Inyere Elias Chinedu, led operatives to Km. 9 Asaba-Benin Express Way where two male suspects namely, Olisa Emenoha (26) of Ifete Awka and Iteke Uchenna Wilson (26) of Road 21, Ngozika Estate, Awka, both from Anambra State were arrested in possession of Toyota Corolla car with Reg. No. AWK 597 ND,  Toyota Camry with Reg. No. GDD 149 MA, suspected to be stolen while they were about to dispose of the vehicles.

The police spokesman stated that preliminary investigation revealed that the duo are serial car snatchers and one of the vehicles was snatched at a gunpoint in Akwa Ibom State.