The Delta State Police Command has arrested 16 suspects and recovered two firearms, a stolen Toyota Camry, and quantities of suspected illicit drugs in separate operations across the state.
The command said the operations also led to the disruption of a suspected cult gathering, the foiling of an alleged extortion attempt at a construction site, and the arrest of suspects linked to suspected drug activities.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the command said eight suspects were arrested during a raid on a suspected cult gathering in Aragba-Orogun.
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit, Ozoro, following credible intelligence about a planned cult gathering.
“The suspects were identified as Godspower Achubue, 27; Ziden Edem, 27; Kingsley Aniefem, 36; Omita John, 22; Onumu Happy, 22; Kenneth Ukpurakpo, 22; Juliet Festus, 26; and Oghenegueke Okuanah, 22,” the statement read.
The police said a search warrant was subsequently executed at the residence of one of the suspects, leading to the recovery of a pump-action gun and one live cartridge.
In another operation, operatives of the Okpanam Division arrested a 30-year-old suspect, Collins Dunkun, after receiving a report of an alleged extortion attempt at a construction site on September 8.
According to the command, the suspects allegedly invaded the site, stopped workers, seized their tools and demanded N700,000 before allowing work to continue.
The police said six other suspects fled the scene, while a search of Dunkun led to the recovery of a locally made single-barrel pistol and one cartridge.
It added that “efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects are ongoing.”
Also on September 8, operatives of the Divisional Surveillance Team raided an incomplete building at King Zanga, Ugbuegwai Community, Warri, following intelligence about suspected illicit drug activities.
Five suspects identified as Rabi’u Salihu, 26; Salisu Suleiman, 23; Rabilu Ali, 24; Alhassan Mohd Mansur, 28; and Aliyu Abubakar, 25 were arrested during the operation.
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The police said quantities of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, Codeine, Colorado, Rizla, SK, and Canadian Loud were recovered from the location.
In a separate operation in Ekpan, two suspects, Destiny Suleman, 41, and Samuel Ejiro, 21, were arrested and a stolen Toyota Camry recovered.
The vehicle, a brown Toyota Camry Pencil Light with registration number BEN-572BT, was reportedly stolen in Benin City on September 7.
The command said operatives of the Ekpan Division embarked on an intelligence-led investigation and traced the vehicle to the New Era area of Jakpa Road, Ekpan, where they laid an ambush and arrested the two suspects.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel E. Erale, warned that cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, extortion, illicit drug activities and other criminal acts would not be tolerated in the state.
Erale said, “Cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, extortion, illicit drug activities and other criminal acts will not be tolerated in the State.”
He added, “The command will continue to take proactive measures to prevent crime, dismantle criminal networks and bring offenders to justice.”
The suspects are in custody while investigations into the various cases continue.